Harry Potter and the Days After
by rls368
Summary: The Battle is over, now it is time to recover, remember those who have fallen, and try to build a peaceful future for the next generations. H/G, R/H, N/H, The Harry Potter Universe is owned by JK Rowling and MGM Studios. I own nothing except the plot for this story. This This story has been revised and republished, so please read and review. I would appreciate your comments.
1. Chpt 1 Hogwarts, 2 May 1998, 1000 hours

A/N This story has been revised and republished to correct some grammatical errors and reflect some of the review comments I had received. As always, the Harry Potter universe does not belong to me, this is simply my interpretation of what would have happened after the battle but before the epilogue.

Chapter 1, Hogwarts, 2 May 1998, 1000 hours. Day 0

The walk from the Headmaster's Office to Gryffindor Tower was a slow one for Harry Potter. Ron and Hermione had already left him to join the rest of the Weasleys in the Great Hall. Each step Harry took as he headed toward his old dorm was wrought with bad memories of all the friends he had lost last night in the battle. Remus Lupin, Dora Tonks-Lupin, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevey, and 48 others had given their lives to achieve the final victory.

Harry might not have known all of the people who gave their lives, but still he regretted any of them dying and blamed himself for not ending the battle sooner or not being able to prevent the loss of life.

As he walked up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower his melancholy grew as his overall exhaustion hit him. It had been over 30 hours since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had left Shell Cottage with Griphook to retrieve the horcrux from Bellatrix LeStrange's vault at Gringotts. After that experience, a hurried dragon ride, and a large battle, getting killed, seeing Dumbledore, and then finally defeating Voldemort, Harry was very tired.

As he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady that guarded the entrance to Gryffindor Tower he sheepishly told her , "I am sorry but I don't know the password".

Looking at who was there, she replied "Don't worry about the password, you are the hero of the day, you are the password Harry Potter". With that statement the portrait swung open and Harry walked through the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. The common room was empty, which Harry was thankful for. He needed to relax, take a shower, maybe eat a sandwich, and get some much needed sleep.

"Kreacher", Harry called out, and soon there was the pop as the house-elf entered the common room.

"How may I help you Master Harry ?"

"First of all Kreacher, thank you for leading all the house-elves during the battle." Harry then in a lower volume asked, "were any of the house-elves hurt ? "

"Master, there were two house-elves slightly injured during the battle, but they were quickly healed. All of the house-elves here at Hogwarts are currently working to restore the castle and prepare food for the students and others who fought." Looking at Harry he then added "Master, what can Kreacher do for the noble house of Potter ?"

"Thank you Kreacher, you can do three things for me." "One, please bring me some fresh pajamas and towels so I can take a shower and go to bed. Secondly could you bring me a sandwich or two and some pumpkin juice, so I can eat before I fall asleep." "And finally I would appreciate it if you found the Weasleys down in the Great Hall and see if they needed any fresh clothes or any other help."

"Master, all will be done as soon as possible, please go rest now." And then Kreacher popped out of the room.

Harry climbed the stairs to what would have been his dorm room, had he been at school this year. The room looked as if it was not used, but that's because Neville and the others had moved all of their belongings into the room of requirements earlier when they were hiding from the Carrows. Harry sat down on one of the unused beds and started taking off his filthy and smelly clothes. He had just finished undressing down to his boxers when Kreacher popped into the room with fresh towels and new pajamas for Harry.

Harry thanked Kreacher again, and then walked over to the bathroom door carrying his towel and pajama bottoms. When he reached the shower stall he turned on the water and adjusted the temperature as hot as he could stand it. Looking over at the mirror on the opposing wall, Harry could see all of the scratches and bruises all over his body, including the new lightning shaped scar on his chest where Voldemort hit him with the killing curse when he went into the forbidden forest. Harry's bare chest also showed the scar where the Slytherin locket burned into his skin when he and Hermione had made that fateful trip to Godric's Hollow.

As Ron and Hermione reached the Great Hall, they found the remainder of the Weasleys at the far end of the Gryffindor table. Molly Weasley rushed toward her youngest son hugging him tightly in her arms. Hermione quickly whispered to Ginny that Harry was up in the dorms getting ready to go to sleep. As Molly released her hold on Ron and started to wrap her arms around Hermione, Ginny announced that she was going to the dorms to check on Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked curiously at Ginny before she hurriedly left to go to the Gryffindor Tower.

Harry removed his boxers, and stepped into the hot shower letting the spray rinse off the dirt and grime his body had gained since he left Shell Cottage. The steamy water felt good on Harry's aching muscles and the shower stall soon was draining a mixture of dried blood and mud. Harry found a bottle of shampoo and washed his unruly hair and then rinsed off as he felt his body begin to relax.

After toweling off, being careful to dry the skin around his bruises without rubbing too hard, Harry put on the new pajama bottoms and left the bathroom to return to the dorm. As he walked back into the dorm room Harry realized he was no longer alone. Standing there next to his chosen bed was the love of his life, the beautiful red headed sister of his best mate, Ginny.

"Ginny, I am so sorry about Fred." Harry stated, forgetting that he was only wearing pajama pants and all his scars and bruises were showing. "It was all my fault that he and the others had to die".

"HARRY," Ginny shouted at him. "It was not your fault. You didn't cause their deaths, you saved so many people,you could not save everyone."

"Look at me Harry," Ginny continued staring him right in the eyes, "Repeat after me, IT IS NOT MY FAULT."

Ginny moved her gaze to look over Harry's naked chest, showing all of his bruises and scars. He was no longer bleeding, but his bruises looked like they would still be painful.

"Harry, have you been to see Madam Pomfrey ? Those bruises and scars need to be looked at."

Looking at the floor, Harry mumbled that he had not gone to the hospital wing yet. He was sure they had more serious injuries to work on for others.

Ginny gave him a stern look that reminded him of her mother when she was mad at Ron or the twins. Harry walked closer to where Ginny was standing. He slowly took her hands into his and looked directly into her eyes.

"Ginny", he started, "I am very sorry for leaving you the past year. I want you to know that it was necessary for Ron, Hermione, and I to finish what Dumbledore left us to do in order to defeat Tom Riddle and win the war. Give me some time to relax and rest up and I promise I will tell you all about what happened and why."

Ginny softened her stare at Harry and gripped his hands tighter. Her face reflected a brighter attitude as she calmly told Harry she could wait.

"Harry, I can give you the time it takes for you to relax and compose your thoughts about last year. But as I said earlier, you need to get those wounds and bruises looked at."

She then gently moved her hands up to his chest, touching each bruise and gauging his reaction as her fingers prodded each mark. Using the healing skills she had learned from Madam Pomphrey over the last year, Ginny could soon see that most of his wounds were healing quite naturally and even the deepest bruises were only superficial in nature. Ginny reached into a pocket of her robes and brought out a small bottle of Dittany and began using it to clean Harry's scars and bruised skin.

As she circled around him, Ginny checked each mark on his skin to insure that there was no infection or lasting pain. When she finished, she turned to face him one more time, and smiled.

"Harry, I think you are going to be ok. I don't see or feel any broken bones or spell damage associated with any of your scars or bruises. You do look pretty tired and maybe a little hungry," Ginny stated.

"I asked Kreacher to bring me some food before I went to take my shower. I feel much better after I took the hot shower and rinsed all of the dried blood and dirt off of me." "Ginny, where did you learn all of those healing spells and how to examine my scars? "

"When you tell me about your last year, I will tell you about mine," Ginny responded. "Now let's get you ready for bed and I think Kreacher left some sandwiches and juice on the table next to your bed."

Harry walked over to his bed in the dorm room he had once shared with Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean. On the bed was the top to the pajamas that Kreacher had brought. On the table next to the bed was two roast beef sandwiches, a pitcher of pumpkin juice, a clear drinking glass, and a small pile of crisps. Harry carefully put on the top to his pajamas trying not to rub against the scars and bruises on his chest and back.

As Harry sat on his bed, he reached over to the table and poured a glass of pumpkin juice into the drinking glass and handed it towards Ginny. Ginny took the glass and then sat down on the bed next to Harry. Harry conjured another glass and poured himself some juice. He then tried to hand a sandwich to Ginny, but she shook her head no and pushed the sandwich back to Harry.

"No Harry, Kreacher brought that food for you. You need it more than I do,"

"Are you sure ? I can share with you. If we want more, I can asked Kreacher to bring more."

Ginny relented and took the sandwich. Harry then reached over and grabbed the other sandwich for himself a took a healthy bite savoring the fresh taste of the roast beef with horseradish sauce as he swallowed the first food he had eaten in over 30 hours since the three had left Shell Cottage for their adventure at Gringotts.

As Harry and Ginny continued to eat their sandwiches and share the plate of crisps and pitcher of juice, Harry was starting to fade as his lack of sleep and the draining of the adrenalin rush from his body since the hectic battle that lasted for over twenty-four hours

As Ginny finished her sandwich, she moved closer towards Harry. Allowing her head to lean into his shoulder. When Harry finished his eating, he took his arm and wrapped it around Ginny's shoulder drawing her closer to him.

"Ginny, again I am very sorry about leaving you last year. Each night while on guard duty around our tent, I would get out the Marauder's Map and look at your dot to make sure you were there and ok."

"Ginny, if you can forgive me, I want nothing more than to become your boyfriend again and now that Tom Riddle is gone, start having a relationship with you."

Harry then kissed Ginny on her forehead and hugged her close to him. Ginny returned the hug and turned her head towards Harry and raised her lips up to his to turn his little peck into a soul-searching deep snog.

After the kiss, Ginny pulled Harry closer and said, "Harry, it will take a little time to get back to where we were before last year, but I also want to return to our relationship. As long as we take it slow and steady, we will get there because I still love you and no one else."

Harry smiled down at her, kissing her lips once again, "Ginny, I love you too. I am so happy that you love me still." Harry yawned as he finished his profession of love. Ginny saw the yawn and realized how tired he really was. Slowly she turned and pushed him back on the bed to get him to lie down.

"Harry, we will continue this later. Right now you need to take a long nap. So keep laying there and go to sleep. I will stay with you to help you rest."

As Harry's head hit the pillow, he slowly closed his eyes. He stretched out his arm around Ginny's shoulder as they both laid back on the bed. Harry closed the curtains around the bed. He then turned toward Ginny giving her another kiss as he drifted off into a long dreamless sleep.


	2. Chpt 2 Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 0600 hours

Chapter 2, Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 0600 hours. Day 1

As the sun rose over the horizon and started shining down at Hogwarts Castle, Harry started to roll over in his comfortable bed. But he couldn't, because his arm and shoulder was trapped beneath the head and red hair of his girlfriend. Ginny had fallen asleep next to Harry and during the night had used his shoulder and chest as her pillow. As he woke up and recognized what was holding his shoulder down, he smiled. He now realized why he had slept so well and had such wonderful dreams. As Harry watched and stared at the beautiful redhead next to him, Ginny started to stir. As she opened her eyes, Ginny looked over at Harry staring at her.

"What ?", she asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No", Harry replied. "I am just admiring how beautiful you were sleeping there next to me, and thinking how lucky I am to have such a wonderful girlfriend."

Ginny smiled at his confession, and leaned over to kiss his lips. As they lay on the bed kissing, Ron and Hermione entered the room. Ron coughed loudly to announce that they were there and the couple were no longer alone in the dorm room. Luckily for both harry and Ginny they were dressed and on top of the bed's covers even if they were in each other's arms.

"Oi," Ron shouted, "it's about time you two woke up and got ready for breakfast."

"Look who is talking." "Where were you two last night ?" Harry asked.

"We were down stairs in the Gryffindor Common Room along with the rest of the family." "We decided to let you sleep, so the rest of the Weasleys along with the others from our dorm stayed in the common room to make sure that nobody bothered you."

"Well, thank you for that. I am going to the bathroom, take another shower and then get dressed', Harry said as he got up from the bed, gave Ginny another kiss and then started moving for the bathroom. Along the way he found that Kreacher had gotten him some new robes for him to wear. So he grabbed those also and headed for the showers.

"Ginny," Hermione stated, "Kreacher brought you some new clothes to wear also."

Ginny got out of bed and saw the new robes that Kreacher had brought. She smiled as they were some of the nicest robes she had ever seen. She almost had tears in her eyes as she looked at the new robes.

"Kreacher took it upon himself to bring new robes for all of us," Hermione said as she saw Ginny's reactions. "Come on Ginny, let's go over to our old dorms and finish getting ready. We will meet the boys in the common room."

Ginny and Hermione then left the room after telling Ron they would meet them downstairs in thirty minutes.

Ron joined Harry in the bathroom as he shaved his face and got cleaned up. He had already showered one floor down in another bathroom on the guy's side. Harry finished his shower and started shaving in an adjoining sink next to Ron as they got ready. Ron told Harry what had happened to the girls.

"Harry," Ron asked. "Are you and my sister back together again ?"

"Ron, we agreed that we still love each other, but instead of going back where we were at Dumbledore's funeral, we decided that we would start anew and begin all over again." "So for your information, I am now dating your sister." 'Now what is the status of you and my sister ?"

Ron stuttered for a minute and then replied. "Harry, I am in love with Hermione and have already asked her to be my girlfriend."

Harry smiled and gave Ron a big hug. He finished getting ready and put on the new robes that Kreacher had brought.

As Harry returned to the dorm room, ready to go downstairs, he realized they still had ten minutes until the girls would join them. Harry called Kreacher to thank him for the robes. When Kreacher popped into the room, Harry smiled at him.

"Kreacher, I thank you for getting the new robes for all of us," Harry began, "I am glad that you got them for us."

"Master Harry," Kreacher explained, "Mister Weasley and Minister of Magic Mister Kingsley Shacklebolt, requested that Kreacher go purchase new robes for everyone and that the Ministry would pay for them."

"Well thank you anyway. It was a very good thing for you to do for all of us."

Ron came out of the bathroom and signaled Harry to go downstairs to the common room. As Harry reached the bottom of the stairs, everyone in the common room began clapping for the two of them. As Ginny and Hermione came down the stairs on the girl's side, they also were greeted with clapping.

Harry was surprised. The Gryffindor Common Room was filled with all of the Weasleys, and all of the members of Dumbledore's Army. Neville Longbottom was evidently in charge. He called the members of the DA to attention and had them form up around Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Harry, " Neville stated, "The members of Dumbledore's Army is here to escort you from the Gryffindor Tower to the Great Hall. If you would, please allow us to form up around you ."

Ginny and the remainder of the Weasleys followed as they all exited the common room through the Fat Lady's picture.

Once out of the common room, Harry could see how damaged the castle interior was as they slowly walked down the stairs to the first floor.

As they reached the next landing down the stairs, Harry realized that this was where Fred had died. Both he and Ron looked at each other at the same time as they both sensed where they were. The group turned and continued down the stairs in a somber mood.

Upon reaching the first floor, the group paused directly outside of the Great Hall. This place which was the center of the battle only one day ago, was now repaired and ready to serve breakfast to the students, faculty, parents and fighters that won the battle yesterday.

Two of the group from Dumbledore's Army each took one of the doors to the Great Hall and held them open for the escort and the honored trio. As the escorts entered the hall, the head table consisting of the Hogwarts staff, professors, new Head Mistress Minerva McGonagall, and newly appointed Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt stood and started the entire hall clapping.

Harry, Hermione and Ron's faces blushed red at the cheering and clapping welcome they received. The DA members ranks parted as the trio was led up to the front of the head table. Harry bowed to Professor McGonagall and the new Minister of Magic. He was quickly followed by Ron and Hermione. The Head Mistress raised her hands to quiet the room and asked everyone to please be seated.

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley," she started with an amplified voice, "The students, staff, and faculty of Hogwarts have welcomed you and thank you for your efforts to help in winning this battle and finishing the deadly threat of Lord Voldemort or as he is in actuality named Tom Riddle. Congratulations on your victory and we invite you all to join us as we celebrate and break bread." "Ladies and gentlemen, please make room at the Gryffindor table so that the Golden Trio may sit."

Harry, Hermione and Ron bowed again to the head table and then moved over to the end of the long table for their house and sat down. Ginny moved next to Harry and the rest of the Weasleys move down to sit next to Ginny and Hermione. Molly and Arthur Weasley rushed over to hug Harry as they had not seen him the day before. As they all sat down, the morning breakfast appeared on the tables within the Great Hall and all started filling up their plates.

As breakfast continued, Harry leaned across the table to talk to Arthur Weasley.

"Mister Weasley, I want to tell you how sorry I am that Fred did not make it here today. I am sorry I couldn't win the fight against Voldemort sooner to save more lives."

"Harry," Mr. Weasley replied, "Do not blame yourself for those who lost their lives fighting for what they believed in. It is not your fault. If anything the fault lies with Voldemort and his followers."

"Now tell me Harry, where were you and Ginny last night ?"

"Mr. Weasley," Harry started, "I went to the Gryffindor dorm room to go to sleep. Ginny kept me company as we talked and said good night. Back in my sixth year before Dumbledore died, Ginny and I dated for a while. Now that the war is ending, I asked her if we could start dating again. She said yes. "

Ginny looked at her father and nodded in agreement to what Harry had said.

"Mister Weasley," Harry continued, "I am in love with your daughter and hope to someday make her my wife. She has said that she loves me too, so I wish to continue dating your daughter until she is older and when the time comes I will ask you for permission to ask her to marry me and hopefully she will say yes."

Arthur Weasley was taken aback by Harry's professed love for his daughter, but he could see it in their faces that they both wanted this.

As breakfast finished, Professor McGonagall called Harry to the head table again to ask him to a meeting later on with herself and Minister Shacklebolt to discuss what mission they were on for Professor Dumbledore. Harry asked instead for finding a classroom large enough so he along with Hermione and Ron could explain everything to everybody. By that he explained meant Dumbledore's Army, All of the Professors, all of the Weasleys, and a few others including whomever the Minister wanted there. Kingsley Shacklebolt agreed and recommended that his Head Auror Gawain Robards and the Head Unspeakable Hyram Croaker be included. Harry suggested to Professor McGonagall that she include Professors Flitwick, Slughorn, Hagrid, and Madame Pomfrey. Once all had agreed, the meeting was scheduled for after lunch in the Transfiguration classroom.

Harry asked if Professor McGonagall could bring Dumbledore's portrait and Professor Snape's portrait. The Head Mistress was shocked that Harry wanted Snape's portrait, but Harry convinced her that all would be explained.

After finishing with the head table, Harry returned to his house table as everyone finished breakfast and then returned to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Once in the common room, Harry announced the meeting after lunch to give the details about the past year. Harry talked separately with Hermione and Ron to discuss what would be told or not told during the meeting, but decided that everything would later be told to Kingsley and McGonagall including the deathly hallows. Harry asked Hermione to bring the horcruxes and her beaded bag to the meeting.


	3. Chpt 3 Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 1300 hours

Chapter 3, Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 1300 hours. Day 1 Part 2

After a light lunch and some more alone time with Ginny, Harry led the group of students, Weasleys and staff and faculty up to the Transfiguration Classroom. The Golden trio were then introduced to Head Auror Gawain Robards and the Head Unspeakable Hyram Croaker.

After assuring that all of those invited were present, Harry asked Hermione to set up the security wards around the classroom. As he watched Hermione cast a few spells, Professor Flitwick congratulated Hermione on her charm work.

"If this was still class work, I would award 50 points to Miss Granger on her wonderful secrecy charms and the wards she installed on this room." Professor Flitwick announced.

Harry then stood up and started the story by welcoming everyone and that this included the portraits of Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Both portraits were awake and while Professor Dumbledore knew most of the story, Professor Snape was going to hear things he didn't know about.

"I find it helpful to go back to the beginning when telling this story, But first I want to remind everyone here that only Minister Shacklebolt has the authority to release to the public what is said here today. He will be the final authority to decide what parts of this story is released to the press and what part will remain hidden. " Harry paused to allow his words to sink in to everyone.

"First, before I was born in 1980 a prophecy was made by a young witch interviewing for the job of Divination Professor. The prophecy was worded as follows: The one with the power to vanquish the- Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."

"This prophecy could only apply to two students born within hours of each other at the end of July 1980. Those two are Neville Longbottom and Myself."

"But the prophecy was destroyed in the battle at the Department of Mysteries," Neville stated.

"Yes," replied Harry, "But the prophecy was made to Albus Dumbledore and he had a memory of it in his office. The witch in question was Professor Trelawney. That is why he would not let her leave Hogwarts Castle after Umbridge fired her as Divination Professor.. When she made the prophecy, she was overheard partially by a death eater who passed on to Voldemort the portion he had heard." Once Neville and I were born, both of us were targeted to be killed to prevent the prophecy from becoming real. Voldemort attacked my parents and me first. This scar became the mark that made me the chosen one." The death eater who overheard the prophecy was shocked to find out who the prophecy referred to. He was a good friend of my mother and when she was targeted he went to Professor Dumbledore to ask him to save her. The death eater then turned from Voldemort and started working for the Order of the Phoenix as a spy. That death eater was Severus Snape."

"Professor Dumbledore told me of the prophecy at the end of my fifth year at Hogwarts. During the sixth year, he gave me special lessons into the history of Tom Riddle who later came to be known as Voldemort. During my sixth year, along with the special lessons, Professor Dumbledore gave me two missions. First to get a memory from Professor Slughorn, and secondly to join him on a hunt for an object that Voldemort had hidden."

At the mention of the memory, Professor Slughorn turned his head and acted all embarrassed. Harry saw this and told Professor Slughorn that he should not worry about it. Riddle had already made a horcrux and was only asking for your verification as to the quantities he should make.

"You see, Voldemort wanted to be immortal. Therefore he made horcruxes to attempt to save portions of his soul. Hermione, do you want to explain ?"

Hermione now stood and gave the background of what a horcrux was.

"A horcrux is the container that a dark wizard uses to store a portion of his/her soul so that if his or her body is ever destroyed, the person does not die because the soul lives on. To make a horcrux, the dark wizard has to split his/her soul by committing a murder. Once the soul is split, one portion can be stored into a horcrux or soul container."

Unspeakable Croaker then stood and asked, "Miss Granger, How did you discover what a horcrux was ? "

Hermione opened her beaded bag and a spell later passed a book over to the Unspeakable. "After Professor Dumbledore's death, I accioed his private library and found this book - Secrets of the Darkest Arts. In here is a complete discussion of horcruxes. I would recommend that copies of this book be tracked to find out who else has this knowledge."

Unspeakable Croaker agreed with her recommendation.

"Before Professor Dumbledore's death," Harry continued, "He gave me and Ron and Hermione the mission of finding the remainder of Voldemort's horcruxes and destroying them to make the man, Tom Riddle, mortal again and able to be killed."

"With the help of the memory of Professor Slughorn, we learned that Riddle was planning to split his soul into seven pieces. Six horcruxes and one piece left in his body. Because he thought seven was the most magic number. Before Professor Dumbledore's death we had found and destroyed two of them."

.Harry continued his briefing. "The first horcrux that was made and later found and destroyed was a diary that Tom Riddle made fifty-five years ago." The diary was destroyed by me by stabbing it with a basilisk's tooth."

Harry looked over at where the Weasleys were sitting and realized that they all knew what he was talking about. Ginny actually shivered and got almost sick to her stomach as she found out what was possessing her during her first year.

"Once the destroyed diary was turned over to Professor Dumbledore, he realized what we were up against. He also came to the correct conclusion that since the diary was not protected as it should have been, Voldemort must have made others that were more protected."

"The second horcrux that was found and destroyed was a ring that was from the Gaunt family. Riddle's mother's family name was Gaunt. It was thought to be an heirloom originally from Slytherin. Professor Dumbledore destroyed the ring, but not before becoming a victim to the protective curse Voldemort had placed on the ring. That curse infected Professor Dumbledore's hand and was slowly killing him. Professor Snape assisted the Headmaster in slowing the progress of the curse, but still the curse would eventually kill him within a year."

Harry paused for a minute to allow everyone to realize what he was saying, then continued. "Once Professor Dumbledore realized that the curse would kill him, he asked Professor Snape to kill him rather than allow Draco Malfoy, who had been tasked by Voldemort to murder Dumbledore, to perform the task.

"How did you discover this?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"During the battle yesterday, as Professor Snape lay dying, he gave me some of his memories. I took those memories up to the pensieve in the Headmaster's office. Other of his memories later helped me finish finding the horcruxes and killing Riddle," Harry replied.

"After we are done here, I will allow the Minister and Head Mistress to view those pensieve memories so that you can clear the good name of Severus Snape. As I said to Riddle last night as we dueled, Snape was always on Dumbledore's side."

"On the night that Professor Dumbledore died, he had taken me with him to try and recover another horcrux. We went to a cave on the coast of northern England where Riddle had once travelled while residing in an orphanage. Upon reaching the cave, Professor Dumbledore had to drink a magical potion to reach the locket that was in the bottom of the bowl. While we succeeded in retrieving the locket from the cave, the potion that Professor Dumbledore had drank made him very weak. I had to side-along apparate us both back to Hogsmeade. I had never apparated before."

"When we reached Hogsmeade, we found out the Dark Mark had been set over Hogwarts. Borrowing two brooms from Madam Rosemerta, We flew back to the Astronomy Tower. Professor Dumbledore told me to get under my invisibility cloak and he then cast a petrificus charm on me to keep me from fighting. Then Draco Malfoy came up the stairs of the Astronomy Tower and disarmed Professor Dumbledore. Draco however could not bring himself to kill Professor Dumbledore. As other death eaters arrived up on the Tower, they yelled at Draco to complete his tasking. Finally Professor Dumbledore pleaded with Severus Snape to perform the action. Once Professor Dumbledore was killed, my petrification was released. I initially ran after Professor Snape, but after they got away, I went back to Professor Dumbledore's body and took the supposed horcrux out of his cloak."

"After Professor Dumbledore's funeral," Harry continued, "I took the locket and opened it. Inside the locket was a note from a R.A.B. stating that he had taken the horcrux and replaced it with this fake, and that he would destroy the horcrux as soon as he could. We had no idea who RAB was or where the original horcrux was or if it had been destroyed."

"That was where we stood at the end of our sixth year. Out of seven planned horcruxes, we had destroyed two and identified a third as being the missing locket. The three of us then decided our mission was to find and destroy the five believed missing horcruxes so that Voldemort or Tim Riddle would no longer be immortal.

Harry called for a five minute break to allow the people in the room to stand and relax. Harry went over to Ginny and wrapped his arms around her. He could tell that she was still upset about the diary being a horcrux and her being possessed by Voldemort's soul fragment. Ginny hugged Harry back and thanked him for noticing her discomfort.

Molly Weasley came over next and added a hug to Harry.

"you poor boy," Molly stated, "You should have never had to go through all of the horrors you have."

Harry replied with a smile on his face, "Mrs. Weasley we have not even got to the bad stuff yet. The next portion of the story begins at Bill's and Fleur's wedding."

Hermione came over to talk to Harry.

"Harry, " she whispered, "You keep talking about seven horcruxes but we only should mention the six, not his part of his soul."

"Hermione," Harry replied, "There is another that you did not know about. Wait and see."

Hermione gasped, realizing what Harry was suggesting. Harry grimaced back at her and nodded yes it is what you think.

Harry then called everyone back to take their seats, and had Hermione reapply the security charms on the classroom, as several people had taken the break time to use the loo.

"The next part of this story starts at Bill and Fleur Weasley's wedding. When we received Kingsley Shacklebolt's patronus announcing that the ministry had fallen, Hermione and Ron and I apparated out of the Burrow to Tottenham Court Road in downtown London. Once we found a vacant alley, we changed clothes and stopped into a small café to talk. While we were talking, we said the word Voldemort triggering the taboo, even though we didn't know about it at the time. Within a minute two death eaters showed up and a fight ensued. After stunning both of them and wiping their memory of us, we then apparated to Grimmauld Place."

"while we were at Grimmauld Place, we realized that all of the wards and charms protecting the house were still in place, so we could relax a little and continue our research into the other horcruxes. As we explored the house we found a room we had never used before. It was Regulus Black's room. Sirius' brother, Regulus Arcturus Black. RAB."

Hermione picked up the story. "When we found RAB we remembered that back in our stays at Grimmauld before fifth year as we were cleaning the house, we had come across a locket that no one was able to open. Now that locket was missing from the cabinet where we had seen it before. So we called Kreacher to ask where the locket had gone. Kreacher then identified the locket as Master Regulus' and started crying. We then asked Kreacher to explain what he knew about the locket."

Hermione then continued to tell Kreacher's tale. How Regulus had told Kreacher to help the Dark Lord plant the locket horcrux in the cave. How later a disenchanted Regulus asked Kreacher to help him switch the horcrux for the fake locket, and how Regulus Black died being drowned by the inferi in the cave. Finally Kreacher had identified Mundungus Fletcher as the person who stole the real horcrux locket from Grimmauld Place.

"Harry told Kreacher to find Mundungus and bring him to Grimmauld Place. A couple of days later Kreacher returned with Mundungus Fletcher Under questioning, Mundungus told us the locket was taken from him by a woman in the Ministry. Seeing her picture on the front page of the Daily Prophet, he pointed out the woman – Delores Umbridge."

"After almost a month of planning, the three of us taking turns under my invisibility cloak, apparating to outside the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, we finally kidnapped three ministry employees and using polyjuice portion, infiltrated the Ministry. We ran into Delores Umbridge down in Courtroom 10 where she was questioning and convicting muggle Borns. She was wearing the locket. After stunning Delores, fighting off a half-dozen dementors, rescuing ten muggle Borns, and grabbing the locket we ran out of the Ministry. We tried to apparate back to Grimmauld Place but Yaxley grabbed ahold of Hermione as we apparated. He side-along apparated with us to Grimmauld Place, so we dumped him as soon as we could and apparated out into a forest where the Quidditch World Cup had been. When we reached the forest, Ron had splinched his shoulder and Hermione had to heal him. Now we had the locket but no way to destroy it yet."

"We took to wearing the locket to protect it from being lost again. Unfortunately wearing a horcrux starts to affect you. The locket tried to possess us each as we traded wearing it. We all became depressed over the fact that while we had a horcrux, we didn't know where the others were and we couldn't destroy the one we had. Ron left Hermione and me for a period near Christmas. He went to search out other information, while Hermione and I went to Godric's Hallow to see if Dumbledore had left us the Sword of Gryffindor. We had figured out that the sword, being Goblin made, would have infused the basilisk venom when I killed the snake. That would make the Sword of Gryffindor able to destroy a horcrux."

"While we were at Godric's Hallow, we visited my parents' grave, stopped by the house where they had died, and met up with Bathilda Bagshot. Or we thought it was her. Actually it was her dead body being possessed by Riddle's snake Nagini. Nagini attacked me, but luckily Hermione helped me fight it off and we were able to apparate away to the Forest of Dean."

"Once we were in the forest, Hermione and I set up the tent and charmed the perimeter so we were hidden as much as possible. That night, while I was standing guard, I saw a patronus walking through the forest. The patronus was a doe. I thought it was a sign from my parents, so I followed it. The patronus led me to a small iced-over pond then it disappeared. I scraped the ice away from the top of the water and saw the reflection of the Sword of Gryffindor at the bottom of the pond. Using Hermione's wand because mine was broken in Godric's Hallow, I blasted a hole in the ice so I could jump in and grab the sword. When I jumped in, I forgot that I was wearing the locket. As I got close to the sword, the locket realized that the sword could destroy it, so it fought me and tried to drown me. Then I felt a hand pull me up out of the water. Ron had returned, saw me follow the patronus, and saved my life. He then returned to the water and retrieved the Sword of Gryffindor.

"Ron, where were you all of that time?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

Ron replied telling everyone about getting caught by snatchers, escaping and trying to find where Harry and Hermione had moved to, and then spending Christmas at Bill's.

"While I was there I discovered how Professor Dumbledore's deluminator works. I had to think about the people I wanted to be with and the deluminator would allow me to apparate to them. When I arrived at the Forest of Dean, I saw the patronus and Harry following it."

"After I retrieved the sword from the pond," Ron continued, "Harry told me to destroy the horcrux. He whispered OPEN in parsletongue and the locket opened. The locket tried to talk to me to stop me from hitting it with the sword, but finally I swung down striking it and destroying the horcrux."

Hermione then opened her beaded bag and took out what was left of the locket and placed it on a table in front of the classroom.

"When the horcrux was destroyed, we all gathered back into the tent to discuss what had happened and what I had went through while I was gone. I told Hermione and Harry about the snatchers, and about the radio program ""Potterwatch"" that I had listened to while I was at Bill and Fleur's. I also told everyone about the taboo on Voldemort's name."

"We were in the tent discussing where to go next to look for the other horcruxes when we picked up the reception of one Potterwatch broadcast. It was the one where you guys announced the death of Ted Tonks, Gornuk the Goblin, and Bathilda Bagshot. After the broadcast was over, we continued to talk about our plans when we mistakenly mentioned Voldemort's name. We were immediately attacked by snatchers. While trying to run away, Hermione sent a hex at Harry's face making it puff up and hiding his identity."

"The snatchers," Ron continued, "captured us. We told them we were all half-bloods and older so we were not skipping school. They didn't completely believe us so they took us to Malfoy Manor. This group of snatchers were led by Scabior and Greyback. Once at the Malfoys', we were further questioned, and Bellatrix asked Draco if he could identify us. He reported that he wasn't certain who we were."

Harry took over. "Bellatrix discovered that we had the Sword of Gryffindor in our possession. She was scared at seeing the sword and started asking how we had got into her vault. They took Ron and I down to the dungeon while Bellatrix kept Hermione upstairs to torture her. When we got into the dungeon, we discovered we were not alone. Luna, Mister Ollivander, and the Goblin Griphook were there along with Dean Thomas. From where we were in the dungeon, we could still hear Hermione screaming as Bellatrix continued to asked her about the sword and being in her vault."

"I was getting very frustrated. Ron was screaming at Bellatrix to let Hermione go. I was yelling for anyone to help us,, when with a pop, Dobby the Elf appeared in the dungeon. Dobby being an elf, could pass through the wards at Malfoy Manor and take people with him. I asked Dobby to take Luna, Mister Ollivander and Dean to Bill's house – Shell Cottage. And then to come back to save Griphook and us. Ron and I broke out of the dungeon when Peter Pettigrew came down to check on us. When Dobby returned, we were able to disarm the Malfoys and Bellatrix, grab the sword, and rescue Hermione and Griphook and Dobby apparated us out. Unfortunately as we were apparating, Bellatrix threw a dagger at Dobby. When we reached Shell Cottage, Dobby died.

"I buried Dobby right there at Shell Cottage. His actions saved all of our lives. Bill and Fleur began healing Hermione and Griphook. Already they had taken Mister Ollivander to a guest room to allow him to sleep. The next day, after a great meal, we started to plan our next move. From Bellatrix's reactions at Malfoy Manor, we were certain that there was a horcrux stored in Bellatrix's vault. After staying a Shell Cottage for a week recovering, we planned our adventure to break-in Gringotts to get the horcrux from Bellatrix's vault."

"Griphook, having watched me bury Dobby, made a deal to help us get into the vault in return for us giving him the Sword of Gryffindor after we had gotten the horcrux. Using polyjuice potion and Hermione having Bellatrix's wand, Hermione impersonated her, while Ron was disguised as a death eater and Griphook and I were under my invisibility cloak. We entered the bank, confounded a Goblin teller, and took the cart to Bellatrix's vault. When we reached the vault, the Thief's Downfall cancelled our disguises, but Griphook helped open the vault. Inside we found Hufflepuff's Cup. The alarms in Gringotts were sounding, We had to leave. Griphook grabbed the sword before we were able to use it to destroy the Cup. Goblins were racing toward us to catch the thieves. Our only way out of Gringotts was blocked except to hop on the back of the blind dragon guarding the vaults and ride way. The dragon broke through the roof of the bank and started flying away from London. As the dragon later flew low over a lake North of London, We dropped off into the water and swam to the shore."

"As we were drying ourselves my mind linked again with Voldemort's. He now knew that we were attempting to gather his horcruxes and he started thinking about each one and their location. From the link I learned that the two horcruxes left were Nagini who was with Voldemort and the other one we needed was at Hogwarts. It was the Diadem of Ravenclaw. So after we were dry we apparated to Hogsmeade."


	4. Chpt 4 Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 1500 hours

Chapter 4, Hogwarts, 3 May 1998, 1500 hours. Day 1 Part 3

Hermione stood up again in front of the crowd in the classroom, and continued the story from where Harry left off

"As soon as we reached Hogsmeade the Caterwauling Charm tripped announcing our arrival. We hid under the invisibility cloak until we could hide in the Hog's Head Inn. Aberforth Dumbledore rescued us and let us hide inside. It turned out that Aberforth had heard Harry's cry for help from Malfoy Manor and had sent Dobby to rescue them. We told him what had happened to Dobby and that we had to get into the castle. We found out that the Room of Requirement here in the castle had made a tunnel between the room where Dumbledore's Army was hiding and the Hog's Head. Soon Neville was escorting us into the Room of Requirement.

Hermione continued. "Once we were within the castle, and greeted everyone, Harry and Luna went up to the Ravenclaw Common Room and then went to talk to the Grey Lady, the ghost of Ravenclaw. Ron and I still had Hufflepuff's Cup that needed to be destroyed, so we went down to the Chamber of Secrets to get a basilisk's fang to destroy the cup. Ron knew how to get into the Chamber of Secrets, and by mimicking Harry's use of parsletongue, he said 'open' to open the Chamber."

Harry then picked up the story from his point of view as Hermione .took Hufflepuff's Cup out of her bag and placed it next onto the table.

"After reaching the Ravenclaw Common Room, and seeing what the Diadem of Ravenclaw looked like, Luna and I then talked to the Grey Lady. The Grey Lady told us how Voldemort tricked her into showing him where she had taken her mother's diadem. He then turned it into a horcrux and hid the diadem in the Room of Requirement. We then had to have everyone in the room leave so we could turn the Room of Requirement into the room of Hidden Things. Once we entered we began searching for the diadem. Once we had found it, we were surprised that Draco Malfoy along with Crabbe and Goyle had also entered the room and tried to stop us. Vincent Crabbe started Fiendfyre and the remainder of the room caught fire. We escaped by finding some brooms to fly out. We were able to save Malfoy and Goyle but Crabbe couldn't be saved. The Fiendfyre also destroyed the Diadem horcrux."

Hermione pulled out what remained of the Diadem and added it to the table for all to see.

Harry continued. "The last horcrux we were looking for was Riddle's snake Nagini. I searched Voldemort's mind to see where he was. He was down in the Shrieking Shack and had just sent for Severus Snape. We arrived outside the shack and heard Voldemort tell Severus that Dumbledore's wand wasn't working as well as he expected it to. Voldemort was convinced that the wand wasn't working well because he himself hadn't killed the previous owner. What Voldemort didn't know was that Dumbledore's wand had given its allegiance to Draco Malfoy because Draco had disarmed Professor Dumbledore prior to Professor Snape killing him. Voldemort then had Nagini attack Professor Snape thinking by killing him, the wand would work better for him. After Voldemort left the Shrieking Shack with Nagini in tow, we went into the room where Professor Snape lay dying. He gave me some of his memories before he passed."

"We still needed to get to Nagini, but he was very strongly protected by Voldemort. I went up to the Headmaster's office to use the pensieve to view Severus Snape's memories. Harry stated. "The memories showed how Albus Dumbledore was dying, and how he asked Professor Snape to kill him rather than let Draco Malfoy ruin his soul. But the memories also showed something we were not expecting. There wasn't six horcruxes and Riddle's body's soul, there were seven. In 1981 when Voldemort attacked my parents, and tried to kill me, the spell backfired and tore off a piece of Voldemort's soul. It attached itself to the only living body in that room. I was the last horcrux."

Ginny and Molly Weasley both screamed at Harry when they heard that. Hermione started shedding tears down her cheeks. Then Harry began the story again.

"I knew than what I had to do. I had to die to destroy the horcrux in me. I left the Headmaster's office and seeing Neville, I told him to kill the snake. I didn't tell him why, only that it was important. I then wrapped my invisibility cloak around me and walked out of the castle to go meet Voldemort."

Harry looked directly at Ginny and then continued.

"Out on the grounds I passed by where Ginny Weasley was helping an injured girl. I wanted so much to stop and say something, but I knew if I did, I could never say goodbye and still meet Voldemort. So I just walked past and continued into the forest. Once in the forest I walked into the clearing where Voldemort and his followers were staying. They had Hagrid tied up to a tree. Voldemort hit me with the killing curse and I went down. Because I did not fight him back, my actions, like my mother's before me, protected everyone else after that. His wand would not hurt anybody else. Everything was black for a couple of seconds, then I was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Next to me lay a small body that Professor Dumbledore said was the horcrux. The Professor explained what had happened to me. When Voldemort resurrected himself at the cemetery after the Tri Wizard Tournament, he used my blood in the ritual. As long as he lived with my blood in him, then Professor Dumbledore told me I had a choice, I could continue on or I could go back and finish the prophecy, I chose to go back. I was laying on the ground in the forest clearing. Voldemort was also on the ground. He ordered Narcissa Malfoy to check if I was dead. She came over to where I was on the ground and felt my pulse. She knew I was alive. She whispered and asked if Draco was safe, I whispered back that he was. She then told Voldemort that I was dead."

"Voldemort then cursed my body several times before he ordered Hagrid to pick me up and carry me to the castle."

"It was terrible having to do that," Hagrid said crying.

"I am sorry I had to fake that Hagrid, there was no other way", Harry replied.

"I know Harry, Thank you."

Harry turned to look around the room as he continued to talk.

"The rest of the story you all know about after Hagrid brought me to the castle. Neville took care of the snake like I asked him to do. Then Voldemort was no longer immortal. As I said to Voldemort, when we dueled, Dumbledore's wand gave its allegiance to Draco, and when at Malfoy Manor I took Draco's wand, Dumbledore's wand turned its allegiance to me. When Voldemort tried to kill me again, the wand turned on him ending it." As Mister Ollivander always said, the wand chooses the wizard.

Harry then thanked everyone for attending and asked Professor McGonagall and the Minister of Magic to go look in the pensieve.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny walked with Professor McGonagall, and Kingsley Shacklebolt walked together up to the now Headmistress' office. Harry had ask for the others to come along as they had not had a chance to see the memories from Professor Snape. The memories were still in the pensieve from where Harry had left them thirty-six hours before.

All six of them entered the pensieve and saw everything that Professor Snape had given Harry. All of them were emotional and distressed by what they viewed. As they all left the pensieve, Harry started talking about what they had seen and the meeting they had just left.

"Now you all know what I had seen prior to going into the forest. I am convinced that these memories are true, and because of those truths Professor Snape should be considered a hero of this war. Now I have one other topic to mention that we did not talk about down in the classroom. One thing we ran up against during this past year was the Deathly Hallows. Hermione, do you want to explain ?"

Hermione started. "The Deathly Hallows are from the story of the three brothers from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The Hallows are the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility. Harry's ancestor Ignotus Peverell had the Cloak. He passed it down through his family to Harry. Dumbledore's wand was the Elder Wand . He won it off of Grindelwald who got it from Gregorovitch. The Resurrection Stone was on the ring horcrux that Dumbledore found. That's why he was compelled to wear it and got cursed."

Harry then picked up the story. "I had all three Hallows making me Master of Death. That is partly why I won. The stone is lost somewhere in the forest, I used the Elder Wand to repair my wand. I still have the cloak. The wand will be placed in a safe place where no one else can find it. I don't want that information to ever get out."

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked at all of the Golden Trio, Ginny and Minerva McGonagall and then announced his decisions concerning what he had been told.

"I agree with Harry that the Hallows will not be mentioned after what we just said. Secondly, when I write the press release, I will leave out all mention of horcruxes. We will simply say that Voldemort had cursed objects that Harry, Hermione and Ron were gathering to bring about his defeat."

"Secondly, tomorrow we have to start repairing the castle and take care of Voldemort or Tom Riddle's body. Thirdly on Tuesday we will have a memorial ceremony here at the Castle for those we lost in this battle, and this war. After the ceremony I would like you three to join me at Saint Mungo's to visit with the wounded that are healing."

After the Minister finished, he allowed Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron to go to the Great Hall for dinner.

The walk from the Headmistress' Office to the Great Hall for dinner went pretty slow. All four of the group were tired and emotional from the long day of story-telling and revelations of wild adventures and deadly terror. Ginny was holding on to Harry's arm and shoulders both to help him walk but also to help herself realize how close she had come to losing him. Ron and Hermione were walking close together also. Ginny smiled as she noticed the pair was now a couple, holding hands and whispering sweet nothings to each other as they walked along.

As they reached the Great Hall Mrs. Weasley rushed up to wrap her arms around the two couples. She had been crying both from the loss of Fred and hearing the scary stories of what the trio was up to last year. As they all reached the end of the Gryffindor table they were met by the rest of the Weasleys.

While the four were eating dinner, they talked about tomorrow's plans. Harry told them he had three main tasks he wanted to accomplish; Help with repairing the castle, taking care of Riddle's body, and returning the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's grave.

After dinner, the four went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to join the rest of the Weasleys.

Once settled in comfortable chairs around the common room, Harry stood up and called all of the Weasleys over for a discussion.

"I have already had this discussion with Mister Weasley, but now I feel the need to tell all of the rest of you." He began. " I am in love with your sister Ginny and she has agreed to date me again. She has forgiven me for breaking it off last year after Professor Dumbledore's funeral. We have agreed to take things slowly and date as normal teenagers, but like I told your father, when the time comes and we are older, I will go to him and ask his permission to allow me to ask Ginny to become my wife. Now does anyone have any problems with this ? If so, speak now or hold your say."

Each of the Weasley boys looked around at each other, then finally Bill stood up.

"Harry," Bill started, "I can think of no one else I would rather have as a brother-in-law married to my sister than you. Allow me to be first in welcoming you to the Weasley family, however, should you ever hurt Ginny you will have to answer to all of us."

Mrs. Weasley came over next to Harry and gave him one of her monstrous hugs.

"Harry, I have already talked to Ginny and got her feelings of what you just said. I am so happy that the two of you are getting back together and taking things slow. Ginny and you both need to go slow so you can get accustomed to each other now that the war is over. Things will be different."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied. "Does anyone else have something to add ?"

Charlie and George looked at each other and started grinning. Percy lowered his head. He was still ashamed of how he had treated Harry over the past years when he supported the Ministry's position that Harry was wrong about Voldemort being back. George came over and put his arm around Harry's shoulder.

"Harry," George started, "We have nothing to say against you as our sister's boyfriend, but tell us, what is going on with Hermione and our dear brother ?"

"I have nothing to say about that, other than they picked some strange times to be kissing,"

With that comment the Weasley brothers turned to stare at Ron and Hermione where they were sitting. Both Ron and Hermione started turning red in the cheeks and quickly tried to change the subject.


	5. Chpt 5 Hogwarts, 4 May 1998, 0700 hours

Chapter 5, Hogwarts, 4 May 1998, 0700 hours. Day 2

Harry woke up alone in his dorm room. Last night Ginny had gone with him up the stairs to the Dorm, and then kissed him good night. Harry thought she would join him in his bed, but after tucking him in, she left for the girls' side of the tower and her own bed. After getting out of bed and going to the loo, Harry got dressed and went down the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room. In the common room he ran into Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

"Good Morning Ginny," Harry said as he hugged her and lightly kissed her cheek. "Are you ready to go get some breakfast ?"

"Morning Harry", Ginny replied, "We are almost ready, we are still waiting for Mom and Dad to come down from the dorm room they stayed in. Bill and Charlie and Fleur already went down to the Great Hall. Percy ate earlier as he had to go into the Ministry today. So Mom, Dad, and George should be here soon."

After a few minutes wait, George along with his parents came down the stairs to the common room. Together with Harry and Ginny they all walked out of the portrait door and then down the stairs to the Great Hall. Once in the Great Hall, Harry noticed that Professor McGonagall and Kingsley were at the head table eating their own breakfasts. Once Harry escorted Ginny to the Gryffindor table and asked her to save him a seat, Harry then walked up to the head table to talk with them.

"Good Morning Harry", Professor McGonagall stated. "What can I do for you this morning ?"

"Good Morning Professor", Harry started, "I was wondering if you and the Minister could help me for a little after breakfast. I need some help repairing and warding Professor Dumbledore's tomb. And then afterwards, I want to help take care of Riddle's body."

"Harry", Kingsley spoke for the first time, "I will be glad to help you take care of the wand , but what do you suggest we do with Riddle's body ?"

"Minister, I recommend that we cremate the body and then hide the ashes so that none of his followers can try to resurrect him."

"I agree Harry. Go eat your breakfast and we will wait and get this all done afterwards."

Harry returned to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ginny and began eating his breakfast.

After a filling breakfast that even had Ron satisfied, Harry, with Ginny, Ron and Hermione following him, stood and slowly walked out of the Great Hall. As he left, harry signaled to the Minister of Magic that he was going to Professor Dumbledore's tomb.

Explaining, while the four-some walked, Harry told Ginny what he was intending to do.

"Ginny, Ron and Hermione already know that what I am about to do is repair Dumbledore's tomb and then place the elder wand back into Dumbledore's hands and then the Minister and Professor McGonagall will be here to help me seal and ward the tomb to keep everyone out."

Harry carefully opened the tomb and reinserted the elder wand into the folded hands of Professor Dumbledore's body. Even though a year had almost past since the Headmaster had died, the hands had not begun any de-composure. The greying hands seemed to glow with the elder wands return to its previous owner. After placing the wand, Harry grabbed his own wand and lifted the tomb's cover back into place.

Harry noticed the arrival of the Minister and Professor McGonagall, and welcomed them.

"I have repaired the tomb, what I need help with is sealing the tomb and then warding it against anyone breaking in to it ever again."

Professor McGonagall then took her wand and pointed it at the tomb. A bright light shown all over the seams of the tomb's cover as the new Headmistress fused the cover to the body of the tomb.

As Harry and the others watched, Minister Shacklebolt then pointed his wand at the tomb and wordlessly created a glow around the entire tomb. Next Professor McGonagall and Harry added their wands to the action causing three individual wards to combine into a final layered protection ward around the entire tomb.

As the group finished up their work at the tomb, and started to walk back to the castle, Harry noticed Hagrid carrying logs for the funeral pyre they were building to cremate Voldemort's body.

Hagrid had cleared away a small plot of the school grounds and built a fire pit around logs that he had already brought to the spot. Harry watched as Hagrid placed the new logs onto the stack of logs he had earlier placed. The pyre was now four feet high and six feet long. Hagrid signaled one of the aurors standing near that he was ready. The auror went into the castle and shortly returned accompanied by two other aurors floating Voldemort's body. The body was placed on the top of the pyre and covered by a cloth soaked in kerosene. After the aurors placed a shield charm around the logs of the pyre, the spell was cast starting a fire.

Harry watched the fire burning swiftly as it consumed the body of the Dark Lord and the logs that made up the funeral pyre. Ron soon joined Harry as the fire continued burning. The shield charm held all of the ashes in the fire pit as the pile of logs burned down. The shield charm also contained the smell of the burning body from those watching around the pit.

As the fire continued, Hagrid conjured a metal urn and summoned the ashes that had finished burning and steered the ashes into the urn. Ron and Harry helped Hagrid gather all of Tom Riddle's ashes and get them into the urn. Once the ashes were in the urn, Hagrid helped to ensure that none were left around the fire pit except the wood residue from the burnt logs, Harry placed a stopper over the urn and sealed the remains of Tom Riddle.

"Kreacher" Harry called for his elf, and the elf popped in front of him.

"Master has called Kreacher. How can Kreacher be of assistance? " Looking up into Harry's eyes.

"Kreacher, these are the ashes of Tom Riddle. I want you and I to go to the cave where your master Regulus died, and we will bury these ashes for all eternity where no one will ever find them."

Harry then took Kreacher's hand and the two of them disappeared from Hogwarts and reappeared at the entrance to the cave by the sea that originally held the locket horcrux.

Once they were inside the cave, Harry opened the wall by cutting his hand and smearing a few drops of his blood. Harry, followed by Kreacher, entered the interior until they stood next to the underground lake. Harry then pointed his wand at the cave's wall and whispering a silent spell carved out a hole in the rocks and placed the urn inside the hole.

With Kreacher's help, Harry covered the hole with the loose rocks and fused the rocks sealing the hole with the ash filled urn deep inside it. After the hole was hidden, Harry and Kreacher returned to the other side of the wall at the cave's entrance, and sealed the opening to the lake. Once all was sealed and hidden, Kreacher and Harry returned to the Hogwarts Castle grounds where the fire pit and Hagrid and Ron were waiting, making certain that all of the fires were out and embers cooled.

Thanking Kreacher for his help, and thanking Hagrid for helping also, Harry and Ron walked back to the castle heading for the Great Room.


	6. Chpt 6 Hogwarts, 4 May 1998, 1200 hours

Chapter 6, Hogwarts, 4 May 1998, 1200 hours. Day 2 Part 2

Upon entering the castle, Ron and Harry ran into Mrs. Weasley sitting at a table at the bottom of the stairs. She was acting as host for the families coming to the castle either to be part of the celebration or for the relatives who had lost loved ones coming to claim their bodies.

"Good afternoon boys," she greeted them. "Go on to the Great Hall. Lunch is about to be served."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley", Harry replied. "We will hurry and eat so we can replace you out here, so you can eat also."

"Take your time, I have already had a late breakfast, and I am not hungry yet."

Harry and Ron both left Mrs. Weasley sitting at the front lobby and hurried to the Great Hall to meet up with Ginny and Hermione to eat lunch. The girls had been helping the professors and elves on staff in cleaning up the Great Hall. The hall looked almost back to normal, as only one corner still needed repair and cleaning.

As Harry met Ginny, he received a small kiss on the cheek and questioning looks asking where he had been. Harry explained to Ginny what he and Kreacher had accomplished that morning, and that now he was finished with his other tasks and available to help repair the castle. Ron told Hermione what he had been doing to help Harry and Hagrid take care of Voldermort's body and ashes, and he also was volunteering for castle repair duties.

The Golden Trio plus Ginny sat down in the middles of the Gryffindor table, silently eating a filling lunch of sandwiches and chips delivered by the staff of house elves from the kitchens. Harry thanked each elf he saw for their help during the battle and the work they were currently doing to repair the castle and make a delicious lunch. The house elves reacted with embarrassment at Harry's words, but then uncomfortably accepted Harry's gratitude as they continued their work.

After eating their fill, the foursome left the Great Hall, past Mrs. Weasley, and then up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. As they reached the top of the stairs, they broke off into pairs to begin working on the castle repairs. The tower was not in too bad of shape. The major damage was the one wall that had collapsed killing Fred Weasley. Harry and Ginny worked to rebuild that wall, but it was slow going because of the emotional connection and Ginny having to stop and cry every so often.

Late in the afternoon, Ron and Hermione joined Ginny and Harry as they finished the wall reconstruction. The four worked together for another half-hour to finish the wall and then the four went into the Gryffindor Common Room to clean up and relax before dinner. As the boys went upstairs to wash up, the girls went to the ladies showers to clean the dust and dirt from their hair and bodies. 40 minutes later they all returned to the common room resting on the couches there. All four looked like they could fall asleep, they had worked so hard, but at Six O'clock they wordlessly stood and started the journey down to the Great Hall for dinner.

As Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived at the Great Hall, they realized there were two newcomers at the Gryffindor table. Andromeda Tonks stood, and turned toward Harry as she introduced the small baby in her arms.

"Harry, I would like you to meet your Godson, Theodore Remus Lupin, Teddy."

Andromeda slowly passed the infant into Harry's arms, helping him to learn how to hold him. Teddy had is eyes open and was staring directly at Harry as he slowly turned his brown hair a deep and messy black to match Harry's hair. All Harry could do was stare at the little two week old baby as his eyes watered over at the thought of Remus and Tonks deaths leaving Teddy an orphan.

"Mrs. Tonks, I am so sorry that you lost Ted, and Dora and Remus," Harry started to say.

"Harry, it was not your fault," Andromeda interrupted, "they wanted to fight, and it was "You Know Who's" fault, not yours." "They wanted to create a better world for Teddy, and with your help, that better world has a chance for all of us to enjoy."

Harry was lost in thought about the young baby in his arms, when Ginny came next to Harry and gently transferred the baby from Harry to Herself. Teddy looked up at Ginny, and slowly his hair took a reddish tint and then turned redder yet until he looked like a Weasley. All four of the teens were awed at the display and smiled at the baby in Ginny's arms.

Mrs. Weasley and Fleur Weasley had finished eating dinner, and stood up to join the admiration society watching Teddy. First Molly asked to hold him so Ginny and the others could sit down and eat their own meals. As the teens sat down to eat, Molly and Fleur moved across from them so Teddy could still see his godfather and his grandmother sitting near him. Fleur took the baby from Molly so she could hold him for a while. When in Fleur's arms, Teddy turned his hair blonde, surprising the entire table again.

Andromeda sat down next to Fleur and Molly and stated that she and Teddy would be spending the night at the castle so that they would be at tomorrow's ceremony. Molly invited Andromeda and Teddy to join them in staying in Gryffindor Tower for the night.

After everybody had finished dinner and dessert, the entire group of Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Andromeda and Teddy left the Great Hall and walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry had once again taken Teddy into his arms as they all sat around the couches in the common room. Teddy had closed his eyes and was sound asleep feeling very comfortable in his godfather's arms. Harry continued to hold Teddy as the baby slept, while talking to Ron about how well his family is doing after losing Fred.

Ginny sat next to Harry and Teddy watching how Harry was doing as a first–time godfather. She was impressed by the degree of care and love Harry was showing the young baby. Ginny realized that Harry was going to be a great father based on how he acted around Teddy. Both Molly Weasley and Andromeda Tonks, sitting nearby, had come to the same conclusion as they watched the interplay between Harry and Teddy.

Suddenly, Teddy woke up with a smile, as a whiff of a smell surrounded him. Ginny and Harry both groaned as they were over-whelmed by the strong odor of the baby needing a diaper change. Molly and Andromeda chuckled as the teens struggled with the strong odor. Andromeda Tonks reached down to the baby bag at her feet and grabbed a new diaper. Smiling at the teens she handed the clean diaper to Ginny mentioning now was the time to learn. Harry placed Teddy flat on the couch between him and Ginny and began removing the soiled diaper. After removing the soiled diaper, Harry used it to wipe Teddy clean and then vanished it with a wave of his wand. Ginny placed the new diaper over Teddy's body and helped Harry put it on the baby's body.

Molly Weasley laughingly critiqued the teens on their performance and gave them suggestions on how to improve their diapering skills. Meanwhile, Teddy lay flat on the couch wondering what all the fuss was about. After the diaper was changed, Harry waived his wand to banish the strong odor from around the couch. Andromeda laughed again as she suggested next to use the bubblehead charm before changing the diaper and a perfume charm afterwards. Andromeda then came over to check the fit of the diaper on the baby and adjusted the tabs a little making it fit properly.

After all of the excitement, Harry hugged Teddy close to him, rubbing his back gently, and watched the baby return to sleep. Ginny leaned against Harry's shoulder and kissed Teddy's forehead as he slept. Ron and Hermione had watched all of the interactions with Teddy with a mixture of interest and apprehension. They were glad Teddy was ok, but fearful they would have to learn how to care for a baby that young.

Harry called for Kreacher. "Kreacher does the castle have a baby's crib that we could use tonight for Teddy Lupin to sleep in?"

Kreacher responded by telling Harry he would investigate and find something that could be used. Then Kreacher popped out of the common room, only to return a few minutes later with a bassinet he had found in unused married student quarters. Harry carefully transferred the baby to the empty bassinet. Harry then carried the bassinet over to the table next to Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Weasley.

As he positioned the bassinet on the table, Harry turned to Mrs. Tonks saying "Thank you for letting us all get acquainted with Teddy Mrs. Tonks", "I hope we can get better at taking care of him."

"Harry, you all did better than I expected for a first time caring for a baby." Mrs. Tonks replied. "And remember, my name is Andromeda, not Mrs. Tonks." "Harry, you and the others can help take care of, or visit your godson any time you want. I will appreciate the help, and I know Teddy will enjoy seeing you whenever you can."

Harry's face reddened into a blush as he accepted the compliment from Andromeda Tonks. He sat back down next to Ginny who was smiling at his blushing and tried to gently rub his arm to comfort him. Ginny gave him a short kiss on the cheek and watched as Harry sat up straighter on the couch and looked over to Ron and Hermione with pride in his accomplishments.

But, as proud as he was, he was still exhausted from all of the emotional upheaval he had gone through since the battle. Harry tried to stifle a yawn, as his fatigue took control of his body. Ginny noticed his condition and asked if he wanted to go up to his dorm room and rest.

"I am sorry everyone," Harry apologized, "It's been a real busy couple of days, and I am exhausted."

"I am going up to bed for the night. I will see you all in the morning."

Harry gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek, then reached over and gave Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Tonks hugs for goodnight, then waived at Ron and Hermione as he turned to go up the stairs to his dorm room.


	7. Chpt 7 Hogwarts, 5 May 1998 0800 hours

Chapter 7, Hogwarts, 5 May 1998, 0800 hours. Day 3 Part 1

Harry woke up in his bed in Gryffindor Tower after a very refreshing night's sleep. All total, Harry had slept over ten hours from when he left the common room till he was ready to get out of bed. Quickly, he had showered and shaved to get ready for the day. Because of the day's memorial ceremony, Harry dressed in the new robes that Kreacher had bought for him after the battle.

As Harry descended the stairs from his doom to the common room he saw that Ginny, Hermione and Ron were already sitting on the couches around the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Tonks carrying Teddy were also there.

"So, the Boy Who Slept has finally decided to join us", Ron kidded with Harry. The others sitting around laughed as Harry sat down. "I am sorry everyone, but I really needed the sleep" Harry said sheepishly. "I am glad I did sleep so long, I feel pretty good this morning."

Harry then moved next to Mrs. Tonks, so he could say high to Teddy. The baby smiled as he recognized Harry sitting next to his Grandmother as she held him tight. The baby reached up trying to grab Harry's glasses. Harry looked at Mrs. Tonks for approval as he opened his arms to take Teddy from her. Wrapping Teddy in his arms, Harry smiled as the baby changed his hair from brown to black to mimic his godfather. Ginny moved over next to Harry so she could also play with Teddy. She gently rubbed the baby's back as he rested against Harry's shoulder.

When Mr. Weasley came down the stairs from the dorm he was staying in, everyone rose from the couches and started their journey down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Everybody was dressed in new robes in honor of the memorial ceremony scheduled at eleven.

The mood was somber as everyone sat at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ginny and Teddy sat down near the middle of the table next to Neville. Neville was sitting with Hannah and Luna even though the girls normally sat at their own house tables. Ginny aided Harry in getting a bottle ready for Teddy. She pulled the bottle out of the baby bag, and took the cap off of it. Next she showed Harry the charm to warm up the contents of the bottle and how to test the temperature with his wrist. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Tonks giggled as Harry tried to follow Ginny's instructions. Satisfied that the temperature of the milk was ok, Harry directed the bottle to Teddy's waiting mouth and watched as he latched on and starting drinking. The group around Harry and Teddy clapped and cheered as Teddy was successfully fed.

"Harry, I see you have a new job as a nanny," Kingsley Shacklebolt stated as he walked over to Harry.

"Minister Shacklebolt, this is my godson, Theodore Remus Lupin." Harry replied. "He was born less than a month before the battle and now unfortunately is an orphan."

"Well he looks like he is going to be well-cared for Harry." "I wanted to ask you if you could say a few words during the ceremony today Harry and I wanted to remind you about our trip to Saint Mungo's this afternoon".

Harry looked over at Neville and asked "Neville, how many of the members of Dumbledore's Army are among the injured at Saint Mungo's?" Neville replied there were ten that were transferred to Saint Mongo's after the battle.

Harry turned back to the Minister, "Minister, .along with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, I would recommend that Neville and Luna join us at Saint Mungo's as They were the leaders of Dumbledore's Army during the battle."

Minister Shacklebolt agreed, "Ok you all be ready after lunch and we will flue together to visit and applaud our injured friends."

Everyone nodded in agreement as the Minister left, and then went back to eating their breakfast.

As Teddy finished his bottle, Ginny Got a burping towel out of the baby bag and placed it on her shoulder. She then had Harry hand her the baby as she put him in position and starting rubbing his back. She told Harry that the baby needed to be burped to keep him from developing gas. She continued to hold the baby giving Harry a chance to eat his own breakfast. Suddenly a loud burp was heard over the table noise, causing everyone to laugh and applaud.

As the time drew near for the memorial service to start, everybody stood up in the Great Hall and walked out the main castle doors to the area near Dumbledore's tomb where chairs had been set up and a stage constructed for the ceremonial speakers.

The crowd began sitting down as the Minister and Professor McGonagall climbed up to the stage and sat at their chairs. Professor McGonagall rose and spoke first.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I want to thank of you for being here today as we honor our friends who gave their lives helping us to win this battle against the forces of evil in the form of You Know Who and his followers. Before we hear from the Minister of Magic and Harry Potter, let us have a moment of silence for each of us to honor our fallen comrades in our own way. Thank you. Now let me introduce our interim Minister of Magic, Mr. Kingsley Shacklebolt." Professor McGonagall then sat back down as Kingsley stood up.

"Thank you Professor McGonagall. As the professor stated I am the interim Minister of Magic appointed by a vote of the Wizengamot yesterday. Let me assure you that the Ministry will do all that it can to bring a final end to this war. I can tell you that Voldemort, or You Know Who, or Tom Riddle is gone. He is dead. His body has been burned to ashes and the ashes were buried at a place I am not even aware of. He died as the result of his own killing spell backfiring against him as he battled Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter, along with his close friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, spent the last year hunting down and destroying dark objects that Voldemort had created to increase his magic power. When all of these objects had been destroyed, Harry Potter had the ability to defeat Voldemort for once and for all. "

"Now Harry Potter would be the first to admit that he did not win all by himself. His Friends Ron and Hermione helped. As did the members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix, and many others who were students, faculty, and parents of students in Hogwarts. Our comrades who are no longer with us helped Harry Potter also."

"The war is not quite over. Many of Voldemort's followers and other criminals have yet to be brought to justice. But I swear they will be brought to justice. Your Ministry of Magic is recovering from this war and will soon have everything under control. At this time I would like to let the man of the hour speak. I give you Harry Potter."

The crowd applauded the Minister's speech, and kept applauding as Harry rose and climbed to the top of the stage.

" Hi, my name is Harry." Harry began his speech. "I was fortunate to have plenty of help this past year. Help from all type of sources, my friends, fellow students, professors, and even house-elves and centaurs and other non-human beings. All willing to fight against evil and injustice."

Harry's speech was interrupted by the loud crying of Teddy. Harry signaled Ginny to bring the baby to him, so she handed Teddy up to Harry on the stage. Then Harry continued his speech.

"This little tyke I am holding is my godson Teddy. If people ask what we were fighting for, this is the answer. Before his father fell in the battle, he told me to tell Teddy when he grew up that his mom and dad fought to make this world a better place for Teddy and all of the other children of the world. That is the goal we all fought for. And that is the goal some of our friends died for. Don't let them die in vain. Make this a better world. Thank you."

The entire audience stood and gave Harry a strong applause. Many of the crowd had tears in their eyes Ginny did, Hermione and Mrs., Weasley and Mrs. Tonks did also. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked over to Harry and Teddy and smiled.

"Tell me you planned that speech, but I never saw any notes." The Minister stated. "With speeches like that, you could go far in politics."

Harry gave the Minister a look that said it all. Not interested. He then climbed down from the stage and returned Teddy to Ginny's Arms. Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Tonks thanked Harry for his wonderful speech; giving him hugs and kisses on the cheek.

Harry took Ginny carrying Teddy back into the castle to the Great Hall. It was lunch time and they needed to get ready for their visit to Saint Mongo's. He was soon joined by Ron and Hermione, along with Luna and Neville. The six teens at their lunch fairly quietly, remarking only that they had thought that Harry's speech was very good.

Soon lunch was over, and Minister Shacklebolt was joining them for their trip to Saint Mungo's. The group flued to the lobby of Saint Mungo's and was met by the Chief of the hospital and the Head Healer of the hospital staff. They greeted Interim Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and welcomed Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood to Saint Mungo's Hospital.


	8. Chpt 8, St Mungo 5 May 1998 1300 hours

Chapter 8, Saint Mungo's, 5 May 1998, 1300 hours. Day 3 Part 2

The Head Healer, Healer Jeff Smith, told the group that the majority of the wounded from the Battle of Hogwarts will be on the second floor wards and private rooms. The ward staff was expecting them, and was prepared to answer any questions the group may have.

The first room they stopped into after climbing the stairs to the second floor, contained their friend, Lavender Brown. Lavender had been attacked by Greyback, but like his attack on Bill Weasley years ago, he was not turned at the time. So Lavender would not suffer lycanthropy, but did have extensive scarring that the hospital was attempting to minimize. Hermione went over to Lavender's bed and bent down to hug her old roommate.

"How are you getting on, Lav?" Hermione asked. "Are they taking good care of you and have your other roommates been around yet?"

"Parvati and her sister stopped by yesterday for a few minutes, and promised to come back tomorrow afternoon," Lavender replied. "They were going to wait until everything was less hectic. They were afraid it is still dangerous out there."

The two girls talked a while longer then it was time for Lavender's next dose of potion for her treatment. The group said their goodbyes and walked out of lavender's room so she could get her treatment. Healer Smith directed the group farther down the hallway to the next battle injury. This was an adult. A Mr. Jones, no relation to Hestia that they knew of. He was a resident of Hogsmeade that came to the castle to help fight. So Harry and Ron led the group into his room and shook his hand. Ron thanked him for his service to Hogwarts and asked him how he was recovering.

While Ron was thanking Mr. Jones, a Healer walked into the room and motioned to Healer Smith that he needed to discuss something with him. A minute later Healer Smith returned to the group, but whispered something to Minister Shacklebolt. Turning to Harry, Kingsley Shacklebolt motioned for Harry to join him out in the hall.

"Excuse us a minute, something has come up," Harry told the others. "I will be back as soon as I can."

As Harry and Kingsley met together out in the hall, Kingsley told Harry what was going on. "Let me get Minerva and Augusta Longbottom here to check this out before we mention it to Neville" Harry told Kingsley.

Harry conjured a talking patronus and sent it to Professor McGonagall "Professor McGonagall please get Mrs. Longbottom and the two of you meet me at Saint Mungo's right away. It is Important.".

Harry walked down to the reception area and waited for Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Longbottom to arrive. Walking out of the flue, Professor McGonagall hurried over to Harry and asks, "Harry, what is this all about?"

"I have been informed that an incident happened a few minutes ago on the James Thickey ward," Harry responded. "I felt the nature of this incident required both of you to be present"

The trio took the lift to the fourth floor to the James Thickey Ward for Long Term Care. Once off the lift, Mrs. Augusta Longbottom turned into the room containing her son and daughter-in-law. Harry and Professor McGonagall followed.

"Momma, she heard her son, Frank Longbottom, cry out. "Professor McGonagall, James, Where are we, and I thought you were dead." He continued to cry out.

Harry replied, "You are in Saint Mungo's Long Term care ward, and while I have met you before, I am not James. I am his son, Harry."

"Harry, you can't be, you were only a baby, if you are grown now what year is it? What happened to us? Where is Neville?"

"It is May 5th 1998; you have been here for 16 and a half years a victim supposedly for the cruciatus curse, but actually another curse thrown at you by Bellatrix LeStrange. Your son, Neville, is downstairs visiting battle victims as three days ago I defeated Voldemort with Neville's help, and Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix LeStrange." Harry replied.

Alice Longbottom spoke up for the first time. "Is Neville ok, was he hurt?"

Augusta Longbottom answered. "Neville is fine; he led a group of students at Hogwarts this past year and fought Death Eaters ending with a victory at the Battle of Hogwarts along when Harry defeated Voldemort."

Harry conjured another patronus, this time to Neville, "Bring the entire group up to the James Thickey Ward."

Down on the second floor, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville and Luna were just finishing up with three of the DA members when Harry's patronus arrived. When the patronus mentioned the James Thickey Ward, Neville did not know what to think, either this had something to do with his parents or Gilderoy Lockhart, the other patient they knew up there. Saying Goodbye to the injured DA members, Neville led everyone to the lifts and up to the fourth floor.

Leaving the lift at the fourth floor, Neville saw his grandmother and Professor McGonagall standing in the door to his parents' room. Rushing over he looked inside and saw his mother and father sitting up in their beds, talking to Harry.

"Mom, Dad", Neville yelled. "You are talking, you're better, what happened?"

"Neville, their curse was broken by Bellatrix LeStrange dying," Harry explained. "They are better but still pretty weak from inactivity."

Neville hurried into the room and hugged both of his parents for the great welcome home present. Tears came flowing out of his eyes and choked out his words of thanks to Harry.

"Don't thank me Neville, when we get back to the castle you can thank Molly Weasley," Harry replied.

Harry turned to the others in the group and mentioned that they ought to go back to visiting the wounded and let Neville and his grandmother have long conversations with his parents. That being said, everyone wished Neville congratulations on getting his parents back, and followed Harry out of the James Thickey Ward back down to the second floor.

Catching up with the Minister of Magic, Harry and the group minus Neville and Luna, returned to the bedsides of other recovering fighters for the battle of Hogwarts. Each wounded warrior that they met had their own unique story of why they joined the battle and how they had gotten hurt. Healer Jones assured them all that the people they had met would all survive their injuries and fully recover. All the fighters Harry had met had a positive attitude and good morale.

It was late in the afternoon when the group flued back to Hogwarts. The excitement of the day's events tired the group as they landed in the Head Mistress' office. Professor McGonagall was already there, as she had flued back to the school when the group left Neville and Luna talking to his parents.

"Harry, when you sent that patronus asking us to meet you at Saint Mungo's, I didn't know what was happening, but after seeing how happy Neville and Augusta were, it made the day very special," Professor McGonagall stated. "Thank you for sharing that special moment with everyone. I am so pleased to see Frank and Alice getting better and Neville getting his heart's desire of seeing his parents recover."

Noting the time, Harry and the group of teens left the Headmistress' office and walked down to the Great Hall for dinner.

When they reached the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, they met up with all of the remaining Weasleys. Seeing how happy the teens were, Mrs. Weasley asked what happened at Saint Mungo's. Ron told everyone about visiting with the wounded and meeting the recovering Longbottoms. Hermione told Mrs. Weasley that she had caused Frank and Alice Longbottom to be cured by killing the person who had cursed them, Bellatrix. Harry remarked that Neville and Augusta were still at Saint Mungo's filling in Frank and Alice on what has happened during their 16 and a half years in the hospital.

After dinner, everyone went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to relax. Harry went to Mrs. Tonks and took hold of Teddy, placing him into his arms. Teddy was napping after dinner so Harry calmly rocked him back and forth as he sat on the couch next to the fireplace, Ginny sat down next to Harry scooting close to Him and Teddy and rested her head on Harry's shoulder.

Teddy started to stir and sure enough as he woke up he soiled his diaper. Harry caught a whiff of the smell and groaned.

"Why does it always happen when I have him?" Harry asked. Ginny, Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Weasley all laughed. Harry started to change Teddy as Ginny helped get a new diaper. Ginny was not fast enough with the new diaper and Teddy started to urinate all over the couch and Harry. Harry took his wand and used a spell to clean up the mess as Ginny finally covered Teddy with a new diaper and helped Harry fit the new diaper on Teddy's body.

Once Teddy was diapered, he yawned and went back to sleep.

Soon, Neville and Luna showed up, in a very good mood. His parents had been checked over and should be well enough to be release from the hospital in a week from now. Next Neville turned to Mrs. Weasley and profusely thanked her for her actions that aided his parents.


	9. Chpt 9,Hogwarts, 6 May 1998, 0800 hours

Chapter 9, Hogwarts, 6 May 1998, 0800 hours. Day 4

The fourth day after the Battle of Hogwarts started with Harry having a nice wakeup kiss from Ginny. She had come down the stair from her dorm to the common room fairly early and decided not to wait for Harry to wake up. So she climbed up the stairs of the boys' side and entered Harry's dorm room. She quickly crossed through the room until she was next to the sleeping Harry and leaned down giving him a soft but warm kiss on the lips.

Harry groaned as Ginny's kiss reached his lips. He moved his head upward automatically following her lips, not wanting to break contact Harry had not yet opened his eyes so he thought he was still dreaming. Ginny giggled at his efforts to maintain contact causing him to realize that this was no dream, so his eyes flew open wide to notice Ginny standing next to his bed.

"Ginny, what are you doing up here?" Harry asked. "That was a very enjoyable way to wake up."

Ginny laughed and replied; "I woke up early and decided to wake you up rather than wait too long down in the common room for you to get up and join me."

Harry moved to get out of bed, when he realized he was only wearing his boxer, so he pulled the covers around him as he sat up.

"Ginny, I am going to take a quick shower and then get dressed, I will meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes," Harry promised.

Ginny gave him another peck on the lips then left the dorm room so Harry could get ready. When she reached the common room, she saw her mom and Mrs. Tonks already there with Teddy. Molly Weasley looked stunned to see her daughter walking down the stairs to the boys' dorms.

"Ginny, what were you doing up there?" she asked.

"Mom, I went up there to wake up Harry and tell him I was waiting down here for him to join me," Ginny replied. "Good morning Mrs. Tonks, Hello Teddy."

Ginny sat next to Mrs. Tonks and Teddy. "How is every one doing this morning?" Ginny asked.

Mrs. Tonks replied, "Teddy and I are doing well. He is such a good baby, he hardly ever cries, and always seems to have a happy disposition. But he starting to get hungry, he has a built-in time schedule of when he wants to eat."

Ginny and Mrs. Weasley laughed at that statement.

As they laughed, Harry walked down the stairs from the dorms to the common room. He looked at Ginny with a questioning face wondering why she and Mrs. Weasley were laughing, Ginny quickly let him know. After a quick hug and saying hello to Mrs. Tonks and Teddy, the group left the common room for the Great Hall and breakfast.

When they reached the Great Hall, the group sat at the Gryffindor table. No sooner than they all sat down, Professor McGonagall stood and walked to the podium.

"May I have your attention please," she started, "I have a few announcements concerning the school and your return to classes. The castle repairs are almost completed, there are only a few areas yet to be returned to normal, and the majority of those areas were not in use the past few years."

'Next I would like to announce that classes will take up again the first week of June and continue until the First of July. During this period we will be conducting examinations to determine who should graduate or who should advance to their next year. We professors realize that this has been an unusual year, and need these exams to see where everyone is on the academic paths toward passing newts or owls."

"Thirdly, students who missed this year due to either being muggle-born, or away from school on other missions," Professor McGonagall continued looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione, "will have the opportunity to continue their studies starting the First of September."

"Lastly, all students who fought in the battle will be excused from classes and tests in Defense Against the Dark Arts for the remainder of this year. Your experiences have proven more valuable than any classroom teaching could give you." She ended her announcements with a final request. "Will each of you please sign up after breakfast for castle repair assignments?"

Harry and Ginny signed up after eating their breakfast, and were asked to work on the corridor outside the Headmistress' Office. As Harry worked, he found it easier to perform the repairs that he had expected. He mentioned to Ginny how it seems that his magical power had increased, Ginny was certain that he was imagining any increase in power but even she noticed how well his repair spells were working as the castle was restored,

After several hours of work, Harry was ready for a break, when he noticed that Professor McGonagall was returning to her office.

"Professor, might I ask a favor?" Harry began. "I was wondering if I could talk to Professor Dumbledore's portrait for a little while? I have some questions I would like to ask him."

"Of course Mr. Potter, feel free to enter my office and speak to his portrait at any time. Does this have anything to do with your mission last year?"

"No Professor, it concerns my magical power and how it has grown."

"In that case why don't we all take a break and all of us see what his portrait has to say about it."

Harry, Ginny and Professor McGonagall entered her office and the Headmistress conjured some chairs around Dumbledore's portrait as the portrait smiled,

"Harry. Once again I have to thank you for your courage and fortitude in defeating Tom and winning the battle." The portrait said.

"Professor, thank you but Ginny and I have noticed that since the battle, my magical powers seem to have grown. I am finding it much easier to perform certain spells as we repair the castle." Harry stated questionably as he looked at Professor Dumbledore's portrait.

The portrait of the past Headmaster thought for a minute, and then began to speak: "My boy, you must realize that what has changed is that you no longer have the horcrux of Voldemort attached to your magical core. Without that, draining your power, your magical core is much more efficient, seeming to make you more powerful." "Actually, your power has not changed, although your level is very high, without the horcrux dampening your magic it will appear as though you have grown."

Harry was embarrassed by Professor Dumbledore's compliments on his magical power, and then thanked the portrait for its explanation. Professor McGonagall was quick to add her own opinions:

"Mr. Potter, your magical core has always rated high based upon my observations, the removal of Voldemort's horcrux from being attached to your scar just empowered your core to reach its full potential:"

"Potter, you should spend this summer reviewing your practical portion of your owls." Professor Snape's portrait stated. "This will help you become familiar with your new unburdened power levels, and help from over-powering spells."

Harry and Ginny thanked all of the portraits for their comments and then turned to leave the Headmistress' office and return to the corridor to finish their repairs. Soon the hallway was completed and Harry and Ginny went down to the Great Hall to join the others for lunch.

After lunch, Harry learned they were no longer needed for repair tasks, so everyone adjourned to the Gryffindor common room.

That afternoon, while playing cards in the common room, Harry saw Bill Weasley come in to Gryffindor Tower.

"Bill, can I talk to you for a while? I need your help," Harry began.

"Sure Harry, what's up?" Bill replied.

"I need some help in brokering a truce between me and Gringotts. I imagine they are pretty upset at us for breaking into and back out of a vault. Even if we had a good reason."

"Well Harry, I can tell you that the Goblins are not very happy with the fact that the three of you succeeded in getting in and back out of that vault." Bill stated. "But if Ragnorak the IV, The King of the Goblins had attended your briefing that you gave the rest of us, he would have been impressed." "So I suggest you treat him as you did the Minister and Head Auror. Approach him as if you are informing him and the Goblin Nation of what you did,"

"Could you set up a meeting between Ragnorak the IV, Kingsley, and me to discuss the issues and come to some mutual agreement on the consequences of our actions at Gringotts?"

"Let me see what I can do Harry, I will let you know later tonight" Bill replied.

With a shake of hands, Bill left the castle to return to Gringotts.

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the common room, and occasionally playing with Teddy when he was awake. Later at dinner, Harry mentioned to Kingsley Shacklebolt, Interim Minister of Magic, what he had learned from Dumbledore's portrait about his power and his discussions with Bill Weasley on dealing with the Goblins. Kingsley agreed with Bill's suggested approach.

After dinner, Bill returned with news that he had secured an appointment for tomorrow morning between himself, Harry, and Kingsley with Ragnorak the IV at 1000.


	10. Chpt 10 Gringotts, 7 May 1998 1000 hours

Chapter 10, Gringotts, 7 May 1998, 1000 hours. Day 5

Harry stepped out of the Flue at the Leaky Caldron and walked through the gateway to Diagon Alley. It was five minutes before his appointment with Ragnorak the IV, the King of the Goblin Nation. He met up with Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Interim Minister of Magic outside the front door of Gringotts Bank. Bill Weasley was with him. Together the three of them entered the bank under many watch full stares of the Goblins in the main bank hall.

Bill led through the main lobby and opened the door to a long corridor of offices. The last door down the corridor had the Royal emblem of the Goblin Nation on it. The three men walked down the hallway until they reached the last door. Bill gently knocked and waited respectfully for an invitation to enter.

"Come in Curse Breaker Weasley, and Minister Shacklebolt and Mr. Potter." The King relayed. "Welcome Gentlemen, what can I do for you this morning?" Ragnorak IV asked.

Harry Potter started; "We are here to brief you on the reasons for my actions over the past year and the war against Voldemort. We wish to inform you of our actions, the reasons why they were necessary, and their impact on the war."

"I am here as Interim Minister of Magic of Great Britain to give you advanced notice of a press release I will be giving this afternoon to the magical community on the ending of the war and the results of the battle of Hogwarts." Minister Shacklebolt stated.

"And I am here as both a Gringotts employee and a friend of Harry Potter to act as liaison for all parties in this meeting" Bill answered.

"Well said gentlemen. Minister you are always welcome to discuss affairs with the Goblin Nation at any time. Mr. Potter, you on the other hand, have broken many Goblin rules that you and your friends must account for." The King exclaimed.

Harry began his briefing: "Your Majesty, during my second school year when the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a student was possessed by a diary of Tom Riddle, later known as Voldemort. After stabbing the diary with a basilisk fang, Professor Dumbledore realized that the diary was enchanted with vile magic. It was a horcrux. Based on this discovery and the loose manner or protection on the diary, Professor Dumbledore was convinced that Voldemort had protected himself through the use of multiple horcruxes. He found and destroyed one more horcrux before is his death."

"My mission, after Professor Dumbledore's death, was to hunt down and destroy the remaining five horcruxes, yes he had made seven all total, so that once all were destroyed, Voldemort would become vulnerable to death and could be defeated.

"With my friends assisting me, we were able to locate one of the horcruxes being worn as a locket by Delores Umbridge, another was found at Hogwarts in Rowena Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem, a third was discovered to be Voldemort's familiar, his pet snake Nagini, a fourth horcrux was found in Bellatrix LeStrage's vault, it was a cup from Helga Hufflepuff. The fifth horcrux Voldemort made accidently when he tried to kill the 15 month old baby, me. I had to die at his hand for that horcrux to be destroyed, '

"We had no other desire to enter or take anything from a Gringotts' vault than to destroy the horcrux that was illegally placed there. Now that it has been destroyed and I assure you nothing else was taken, I will gladly try to reimburse the bank for the damage we caused in escaping." Harry finished.

Kingsley Shacklebolt talked next: "As minister, I have decided that the press statement I will issue will not mention the horcruxes that Voldemort made. We will simply say Harry Potter and his friends were looking for dark objects that Voldemort had used to add to his power. The statement will say that one of these objects was illegally stored in a Gringotts' vault. We can either add that Harry was aided by the Goblin Nation in ridding of this dark object, or we can say, in spite of the Goblin Nation, Harry Potter and his friends got rid of this dark object. The decision in your to make Your Majesty.

Ragnorak IV thought about he had just heard. By stating his people had helped Harry Potter would send the message to all wizards not to desecrate their vaults with illegal or dark objects, otherwise he would be admitting that it was possible for a wizard to break into a vault, telling all customers that the bank vaults were not safe.

"And what do we say about the damages that Gringotts suffered?" Ragnorak IV asked,

"We say that the damages were paid by imposing fines on Bellatrix LeStrange's vault for harboring illegal objects in her vault." Minister Shacklebolt replied.

Ragnorak IV liked that solution. "Done. Harry Potter and his friends' vaults shall be available for use immediately, and the damages will be paid by the estate of Bellatrix LeStrange. The Goblin Nation was happy to aid Harry Potter's quest to defeat Voldemort and end the war."

Harry was shocked. It was a better solution than he could have hoped for. Harry smiled for the first time today at this meeting.

"Ragnorak IV began a new topic. "Now that we have decided that matter, there is one additional matter that is over almost a year overdue. That is the matter of Harry Potter's inheritance," "When Mr. Potter became of age last year; he should have been given his inheritance. That would have included his parents' trust vaults, The Potter Family Vault, and all of the deeds to the homes he inherited. Also he is the sole remaining member of the Peverell Vault, and by the will of Sirius Black, he is the inheritor and Head of House Black."

Reaching for a scroll off of his desk, Ragnorak IV read:

"Harry Potter's trust vault for school contains 10,000 Galleons."

"His parents trust vault contains 90,000 Galleons which includes 17 years of interest."

"The Potter Family Vault contains 110 Million Galleons."

"The Black Family Vault contains 95 Million Galleons."

"The Peverell Family Vault contains 200 Million Galleons."

"These sums only include the cash values of each vault. Other values of investments both muggle and wizard, jewelry, and estates and properties have yet to be updated.""

Harry was shocked. He was rich, and did not know about any of this.

Harry asked Ragnorak IV; "Who is my account manager?"

"Griphook, of course, the King replied, asking that Griphook join them."

"Thank you sire, allow me to serve my customer wishes."

"Griphook," Harry began, "I would like you to take the following actions from the Peverell Vault. "

"Transfer 1 million Galleons to Hermione Granger and get her both muggle and Wizarding bank cards"

"Transfer 1 million Galleons to each of Ron Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, George Weasley and Percy Weasley."

"Transfer 1 million galleons to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley"

"Transfer 1 million galleons to Mrs. Andromeda Tonks with a trust vault for Theodore Remus Lupin at 10,000 galleons."

Initiate a 3 million galleons trust fund for war victims to include muggles, wizards, Goblins, House Elves, Centaurs and any other war victims regardless of race."

I want you to stay on as account manager, but I want Mrs. Molly Weasley and Mrs. Fleur Weasley as assistant Trustees with you for the War Victims Fund. Is all of that ok with you? Can you get keys before I leave? And also place Ginevra Weasley on my Account."

Griphook stated all would be ready by the time Harry was finished in his meeting, plus he had portkeys ready to take Harry to each of his properties.

Harry thanked Griphook as he left the office to take care of everything. Bill wanted to complain but Harry was not hearing it. Kingsley smiled as Harry took charge of his affairs. Ragnorak IV was impressed by Harry's decisiveness, and his volunteering to start a victims fund for all creatures.

Harry turned back to Ragnorak IV and thanked him for meeting with him and solving his relationship problems with the bank and the Goblin Nation. Harry then thanked Interim Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt for his help and guidance in developing the solutions they had agreed to.

As they left the King's office, Harry ran into Griphook returning with envelopes either giving keys, deposit slips, bank cards, or portkeys to properties to Harry. Harry thanked Bill for his help and walked back to the Leaky Caldron so he could flue back to Hogwarts.

Harry would only tell everyone who asked that the problem with the bank had been taken care off. Hermione and Ron were very relieved that it was solved with no lasting impact on their individual vaults or future access to the bank. When anyone pressed for details Harry simply stated he would meet everyone after dinner to discuss the meeting.

Once back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry called for Kreacher.

"Kreacher, we are all going to be leaving Hogwarts in a couple of day, would you please check on the status of the Burrow and Grimmauld Place to make certain they livable and not cursed with any spells." Kreacher agreed to the mission and left right away.

After an early dinner in the Great Hall, Everyone returned to the common room. Bill was there also, so Harry could begin his tale of the day's meeting at the bank.

"Bill, Minister Shacklebolt, and I met with Ragnorak IV, the King of the Goblin Nation. Once he was told about the horcruxes and our reason for breaking into Bella LeStrange's vault, he was convinced we were not trying to steal anything, and the damages of our escaping would come from the LeStrange vault for harboring an illegal object. All of our vaults have been reinstated with all rights and privileges."

"Next, I was surprised to have all of my inheritances given to me. Including my parent's vaults, the Potter Family Vaults, The Black Vaults from Sirius' will, and it seems I am also the last Peverell. Needless to say I have inherited more money than I know what to do with, so….."

"Andromeda Tonks, here is an envelope that includes a deposit to your account and a key to a trust vault for Teddy."

"Harry, this is too much," Mrs. Tonks stated.

"No it is not; use it to take care of Teddy." "Hermione, here are bank cards and a deposit to your vault to use for your trip to Australia. "

"Weasleys, here are individual deposits to each of your accounts, or in Ron's case his new vault."

"Harry this isn't right, this is your money, not ours." Mrs. Weasley stated.

"It is right, you are my family. Ginny, I did not get you your own account, but here is your key to my accounts, consider them as yours also."

Ginny came over and kissed Harry and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"One final action that you will be involved with. I have started a war victims fund to support all of the victims of this war whether they be muggle or magical or Goblin and House elf, centaur or any other victim. The fund will be run by Griphook as my account manager with two trustees assisting him. I would like those trustees to be Molly Weasley and Fleur Weasley. The annual salary for each trustee is set for 20 thousand Galleons."

Kreacher returned to the Gryffindor common room and gave Harry the sad news. Grimmauld Place is cursed and will need curse breakers and possibly aurors to repair it and make it safe. The Burrow is damaged and will require a construction crew to repair it. Harry asked Kreacher to find a contractor to do the work, and even remodel a little with a larger kitchen and additional bathrooms. Kreacher told Harry he would take care of it.

Hermione came over to Harry complaining he gave her too much. Harry told her to remember what she had been through and what she had put her parents through. He told her confidentially how much his vaults were actually worth, not counting investments, jewels and property. Over 400 million Galleons.


	11. Chpt 11, Potter Manor 8 May 1998 1000 hr

Chapter 11, Potter Manor 8 May 1998, 0900 hours. Day 6

Harry Potter was in the Great Hall eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table. With him, were Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna. The group had all slept late up in the Gryffindor Tower, after yesterday's busy activities. While Harry was busy at Gringotts' Bank meeting with Ragnorak IV, the King of the Goblin Nation, and learning of his inheritances with Griphook, Neville and Luna had spent the day visiting Neville's mom and dad at Saint Mungo's Hospital. Ron and Hermione spent their day helping Mrs. Weasley and Ginny finish some of the cleanup of the castle.

Harry asked everyone what plans they had for today.

"Well Luna and I are going back to the hospital to talk with my folks," Neville said. "We are bringing them up to date on what has happened in our lives."

No one else had any plans so Harry suggested some.

"I would like Ginny, Ron and Hermione to join me on a trip to Potter Manor. It is where my grandparents lived, and I never even knew it existed until yesterday when the Bank gave me a portkey to its location. I want to see what is there. Will you three go with me?"

The four friends walked out of the Great Hall and out of the castle till they were on the grounds of Hogwarts. Then Harry activated the portkey to Potter Manor as everyone grabbed a hold of the portkey envelope. And after a few minutes of spinning, found themselves outside the gate to Potter Manor.

Once everyone stopped spinning and was able to stand up straight, they saw that they were outside a large brick wall that surrounded the estate. Directly in front of where they landed was an ornate metal gated driveway that led up to the manor. The gate was closed, and after Ron checked, it was locked.

Harry looked on as Ron tried to open the gate and couldn't. He then came over to the gate and placed his hands on the lock. The lock immediately clicked and the gate opened.

As the foursome walked through the gate and followed the driveway past the manor fence, they could see the manor house. It was a three-story brick and rock building with ten windows facing the driveway. In the middle, two solid wood doors interrupted the brick and rock motif to enter the building. Each of the floors above the first story had six half circle balconies with windows on either side of French doors.

As the group walked to the front doors, the doors opened and a house-elf dressed in a butler's uniform came out of the house.

"My name is William, I am the Head Elf at Potter Manor. May I help you?"

Harry replied. " I am Harry Potter, William, I was just informed that I have inherited this place, and decided to come with my friends to see the estate."

"Master Harry, that explains how you were able to unlock the gate, welcome to the estate, let me give you the grand tour of Potter Manor, and let me introduce you to the staff that is here to support you." William replied.

William invited Harry and the others into the front hall. The entry way was a large tiled foyer with double staircases leading upstairs to the other floors. William stopped in the middle of the front hall as he was joined by three other house-elves.

"My lord Harry Potter let me introduce the house staff to you. Maria, he pointed to the first female house-elf next to him, is the head cook. She is assisted by Snoopy; he is the assistant cook and baker. Next we have Lionel, he is in charge of the grounds and gardens here at the estate, and finally we have Martha, she is the upstairs maid and takes care of the Master suite, and the twelve guest suites within the manor."

Harry greeted each of the elves and shook their hands. Then he asked each to call him Harry, not master or my lord. Then Harry called Kreacher to the manor.

"This is Kreacher. He is a House Black elf that I inherited when I became the head of House Black. Kreacher has been working for me the past two years. Kreacher, this is William, Maria, Snoopy, and Martha. William is the head elf of Potter Manor. You will still be head elf of House Black, but coordinate with William while we are here at Potter Manor."

"I understand Master Harry." Kreacher replied. "I have known William for many years when the Blacks and Potters used to socialize together."

"Welcome Kreacher to Potter Manor. Do not worry, Harry Potter, " William stated, "Kreacher and I will work together for the sake of both houses."

William then dismissed the staff to continue their work, asking Maria to develop a lunch for the group. After the staff left, William led the way down the hall to the right of the entrance doors explaining that these were the public rooms of the manor.

The first room they came to was a sitting room with three separate sitting areas each with a settee, a love seat, and a plush side chair grouped around a coffee table. William explained that this was the Gathering room for social occasions or formal assemblies.

The next room was a formal dining room with tables and chairs to sit 20. At the other end of the room were doors leading to the kitchens for serving, and doors leading outside to the manor's patio.

Further down the right hall was the smoking room. This was primarily the men's lounge and had chairs grouped for holding private conversations, and a large wet bar set up for serving alcoholic beverages. The back of the room also had doors to the outside patio and the manor's back yard.

After the smoking room, William led them back to the main lobby and started leading the group down the left side of the first floor. First room off the lobby on the left side was the Master's study. It included a large desk, chairs and couches for meetings and a full wall of bookcases.

Across the hall from the study was the private dining room with seating for 12, and again doors to the kitchen.

The last room on the left side was a large 2-story Library about the size of Hogwarts. The room had a few tables and reading benches, but was primarily wall to wall bookcases and was open to the second floor where more bookcases and chairs lined the walls. A spiral staircase in one corner allowed access to the second floor.

William then turned the group round and led then, with Ron pulling Hermione away from the library, back into the private dining room. From the dining room, William led the foursome through the servants' doors into the kitchen,

The kitchen was as modern as a downtown London restaurant. Modern, muggle appliances, and both dry and cold pantries with stasis charms filled the kitchen area. A bakery area was setup on one side of the kitchen with huge ovens and commercial designed mixers. William showed Harry and the others the doors leading from the kitchen to the formal dining room. He said the kitchen was located behind the double staircase in the lobby. He also stated that next to the library were doors leading outside to the back of the manor where a barbecue and picnic area was setup, and a party patio existed. The backyard was also reachable from the kitchen and from the formal dining room and the smoking room.

William announced that lunch was ready, so he led the group back through the servant doors to the private dining room. He would continue the tour after lunch showing the group the second and third floors.

Harry and Ron were kidding Hermione about having to be pulled out of the library as lunch was served to them. They all had roast beef sandwiches with potato salad, and butter beers.

After lunch, William returned to the private dining room and led the foursome out of the dining room and then back to the main lobby. From the lobby, Williams led the group up the right staircase to the second floor. As they climbed the stairs, William reminded everyone that the right side of the lobby was considered public areas, so each of the bedrooms located on the second and third floors on the right side were considered guest rooms. Each room of six of the second floor consisted of a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom.

William opened the first door on the right hand side of the corridor and showed them the guest room with ensuite bath. The room had a queen size bed, a few side chairs, and end tables on either side of the bed, and a matching bathroom with tub/shower combination.

William explained that the other rooms on the right side of the manor on the second and third floors were exactly the same. A total of 12 guest rooms. As the group returned to the stairs, William opened a door next to the stairs and explained that this door was normally locked, because the left side of the manor is the private or family side.

Walking through a long corridor between the right and left staircases, the group came to a small office. This is the mistress' study. It permits the Lady of the house to do her paperwork undisturbed. It also has a dumbwaiter to the kitchen allowing her to pass menus or taste test meals between herself and the head cook.

Past the Mistress' study was the left staircase back to the first floor lobby. On the other side of the stairs was a private Masters' study. On top of his public study off the lobby, the private study and fewer bookcases, but still a desk and a safe for funds or private papers.

On the other side of the left corridor was a long hall leading to bedrooms. There was a master suite, consisting of a bedroom, dressing room and bath; a mistress suite identical to the master suite; and a nursery

William explained that the third floor left side hall consisted of four bedrooms and two baths for older children.

After showing everyone the master suite and nursery, William returned to the private study then walked next to it, the upper floor of the library. He explained that the third floor above the library was a classroom and above the private study was a play room for the children.

Entering the upper level of the library showed the group more bookcases but also a reading lounge consisting of a couch and several chairs. William explained that this lounge allowed the family to read without having to dress formally for being on the first level of the library.

While William explained the lounge, a new voice said hello to Harry. Looking around he saw the portraits of his Grandfather and Grandmother; Charles and Samantha Potter.

"Good afternoon young man," his grandfather stated. "You must be our Grandson, Harry. How old are you now?"

"Yes sir, I am Harry James Potter, I will be 18 in two and half months. These are my friends, my girlfriend Ginny Weasley; her brother and my best mate Ron Weasley, and his girlfriend and my pal Hermione Granger. Last week we had a battle at Hogwarts and we won. Voldemort is dead, and the death eaters are fleeing. Because of the war, I just came into my inheritance yesterday. So we are here looking at Potter Manor for the first time. William is showing us around."

"Harry," Samantha Potter said, "When you have time, please sit with us and tell us about the last 17 years. And bring your beautiful red-headed girlfriend with you."

"I will", Harry promised. Ginny blushed as she came up next to Harry and smiled at his Grandmother.

William next invited the group to descend the spiral staircase to the first floor of the library, as the tour was finished. As they walked down the stairs, Harry turned to William and told him that he would be back tomorrow with a larger group to stay at the manor until their own homes are repaired, so be prepared to support 18 people for at least a couple of weeks.

William nodded his agreement to the task and told Harry he and the staff would be ready.

With a great thank you and smiles from the entire group, Harry and the group departed the house and walked back out to the gate. Once at the gate, Harry activated the portkey to take them back to Hogwarts.

Upon landing outside the gate of Hogwarts, the foursome walked through the gate and up to the castle. From there they all went up to Gryffindor Tower to the common room and their dorms to freshen up.

Once Harry and everyone else were in the Great Hall for dinner that night, Harry gathered the Weasleys all together and gave them the bad news about the Burrow.

"Kreacher checked the Burrow yesterday, what he found was the Burrow had sustained major damage to the kitchen and third and fourth floor bedrooms. At my direction, I had Kreacher contact the Goblins at Gringotts Construction Division to repair the damage and make the Burrow like new. But this will take a little time. I am told everything will be repaired in two weeks. In the meantime I am inviting the Weasley family to visit and stay at Potter Manor until the Burrow is repaired and everyone is happy with it. Also because we recently learned that Longbottom House is undergoing repairs at the same time, the Longbottom family is also invited to visit and stay at Potter Manor until Longbottom House is finished. This invitation is extended also to Ms. Hermione Granger and Ms. Luna Lovegood, and will also include Mrs. Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin."

After Harry's invitation, both the Weasleys and the Longbottoms agreed. To accompany him to Potter Manor will take several house-elves many trips back and forth between Hogwarts and the manor.

Harry finalized the list of everyone who would be going and how many trunks or other baggage the group would have to transport. Then he called for Kreacher and William. When both elves had reported to Harry, he gave them the lists and they agreed to start at 1000 the next morning.


	12. Chpt 12, Potter Manor 9 May 1998 0900 hr

Chapter 12, Potter Manor 9 May 1998, 0900 hours. Day 7

Early Saturday morning, Harry along with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall to begin eating breakfast. They were soon joined by the rest of the Weasleys and by Neville, and Luna. Everyone had finished packing for their move to Potter Manor.

As the group ate breakfast they discussed the move and the plans made to accommodate everyone. Hermione and Ginny were telling all of the others about Potter Manor and what their tour had shown them the day before.

Neville left the table for a minute and came back with his grandmother, so she could be informed about the plans for the move and see if she needed any help packing for the relocation.

Seeing all of the group together at one table, Interim Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt walked over to join them.

"Harry, if I could have everyone's attention for a minute," he started, "I have received word from the muggle Prime Minister concerning all of you." "He wants to meet each of the Golden Trio and Silver Trio, as they are calling you. He also wants to meet Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall." He continued.

"The Prime Minister has recommended Tuesday for the meeting and I believe they are planning some awards to be passed out, I would recommend we dress formally," Kingsley continued. "I will plan on meeting all of you Tuesday, May 12th at 0900 at the Ministry Garage and we will provide transportation to the Prime Minister's office."

Harry and the others all agreed to the Interim Minister's plan and schedule.

After the Interim Minister left the group, they all finished eating and went back to the Gryffindor Tower to collect their bags and trunks for the move. Harry called for Kreacher and William to him to begin the relocation process.

William had a portkey made for travel to Potter Manor and explained its use to Harry. While the group gathered around the portkey, William and Kreacher sent the bags and trunks on the way to the manor, sending all of the baggage to the lobby area inside the main doors of the manor.

Harry had the entire group grab the rope portkey and hang on as he activated the portkey, dropping everyone at the front gates of Potter Manor.

As Harry reached the lock of the gates, and opened the gates leading to the driveway, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Augusta Longbottom had their memories refreshed as the recognized the building and its grounds. Andromeda Tonks also remembered being here before and relaxed as she strode down the driveway carrying Teddy. The Manor was a new experience for Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, so they took their time moving toward the building. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had been at the manor yesterday, so they were already familiar with what the building and grounds held for everyone.

As the groups reached the front doors, William and the other house-elves were waiting in the lobby to welcome them.

"Greetings friends of Harry Potter," William started, "I am William, head elf of Potter Manor. With me are Maria, Head Cook; Snoopy, Assistant Cook and Baker; Lionel, Head of Grounds; and Martha, Upstairs Maid. We are glad to have you visiting us and will serve you as best we can. The entire right-side of the Manor, all three floors, is the public and guest areas. The left-side of the Manor, all three floors is the Potter family private rooms. Please wait for an invitation to enter the private side areas. The Guest rooms are on the second and third floor of the right-side wings. Feel free to enter any of those areas as you wish. Now Maria and Martha have assigned rooms for you and will take you to your rooms to freshen up before lunch is served."

Harry spoke up after William. "You all are invited to use the library. Both floors of the library are available to you also. Matter of fact, you will probably find me there on the upper floor of the library. It has a small reading area but also has portraits of my grandparents. I plan on talking to the portraits quite a bit."

After William's and Harry's speech, Maria took Mr. and Mrs. Weasley by hand up to their guest suite. Martha did the same for Augusta Longbottom. Next time Maria came back to the lobby, she helped Andromeda Tonks and Teddy upstairs to their suite. The Elves had taken the crib from the nursery and placed it in Andromeda's guest suite. Martha escorted Bill and Fleur Weasley to their room. All of these adults were located in the guest suites of the second floor. The other two suites on the second floor were left vacant for now. One would be reserved for Neville's parents, and the other would be for Charley and Percy Weasley, once they finished work at the castle.

The younger members of the group were escorted one at a time to the guest suites on the third floor. Ron, Hermione, George, Neville, and Luna were shown to individual rooms.

Ginny was last to be escorted to a room.

"Ginny," Harry whispered, "I saved you for last so you could decide which room you wanted. Do you want the other guest room on the third floor, or would you like to try out the Mistress Suite next to me in the Master Suite on the left-side second floor?"

"I prefer to use the Mistress Suite." Ginny replied. "I might as well get used to it, until you do marry me."

Harry then escorted Ginny up the left stairs and into the Mistress' Suite. After he dropped her suitcase and trunk off in the room, he summoned his own suitcase and placed it in the Masters Suite next door. After setting his things in his room, he walked back to the Mistress' Suite taking the long way rather than use the short-cut connecting door between the suites. Harry asked Ginny if she was ok and wanted to join him in a talk with his grandparents.

While all the guests were refreshing themselves and getting used to the new accommodations, Harry and Ginny walked down the private-side hall and opened the door to the second floor library reading area.

"Good morning Grandfather and Grandmother," Harry said to the portrait. "Ginny and I have moved in and we have a lot of guests staying at the manor. 'You will meet them soon, some you probably already know, but they will be staying here while their homes are repaired."

"Hello Harry, and welcome back Ginny," the portrait replied. Harry's Grandfather asked the first question. "Tell me Harry, what happened to your parents?"

"Well, on Halloween Night, in 1981, while the entire family was hiding in Godric's Hollow, Voldemort attacked our house and killed Dad and Mom. When he tried to kill me, some sort of protection that Mom had placed around me, caused his killing curse to rebound on him. Voldemort had made horcruxes, so instead of dying from the rebounding killing curse, he just lost his corporeal body. I survived with only the scar on my forehead."

Ginny continued the story. "Dumbledore had the infant Harry collected by Hagrid and taken to Hogwarts to be checked out by Mrs. Pomfrey, and then taken to Lily's sisters' house in Little Whinging in Surrey. He felt that with Lily's sister, he could invoke the blood protections to protect Harry and keep him safe. The problem with that were Lily's sister and her husband, being muggles, hated magic, so during Harry's childhood years, he was abused and treated worse than a house-elf."

"Until I received my Hogwarts letter," Harry continued, "I did not know anything about magic. I was told my Dad and Mom died in a car crash, I could not explain any of the bouts of accidental magic I had. "

"Hagrid came and got me when they hid the Hogwarts' letters from me. He told me about the attack in Godric's Hollow, and that I was famous for ending Voldemort's reign and surviving the killing curse. He took me on my first trip to Diagon Alley to get my wand and school supplies."

"Harry," Hermione and Ron yelled as they entered the first floor level of the library. "Where are you?"

Ginny leaned over the second floor railing and told them "We are up here talking to Harry's grandparent's portrait. Come up the spiral staircase."

Ron and Hermione climbed the spiral staircase and joined Harry and Ginny sitting in the reading area.

Harry introduced everyone. "This is my grandfather Charles and my grandmother Samantha Potter. These are my first two friends I met on the Hogwarts' Express my first year. Ron Weasley, Ginny's brother, and Hermione Granger. Hermione is like a sister to me and since the Battle of Hogwarts, she and Ron have been a couple."

"Hermione loves libraries, so she will probably be in here every day that they are staying here. Hermione memory charmed her parents and sent them to Australia to escape the war this past year." Ginny said. "She plans on later this summer going to Australia to restore her parents' memories and hopefully bring them home."

"Ron and Ginny are the two youngest children of Arthur and Molly Weasley," Harry said.. "They had five older brothers; Bill is the oldest, second is Charlie, Third is Percy, fourth and fifth were twins George and Fred. .Fred was killed in the Battle of Hogwarts last week. Once I started Hogwarts, the Weasleys became my unofficial adopted family." "You might have known Molly's family. She had two older brothers, Fabian and Gideon Prewett."

"Ah yes, I did know the Prewett twins. They fought in the first war and were members of the Order of the Phoenix," Charles Potter's portrait remembered.

'So on the Hogwarts Express, Harry met my brother Ron, Hermione, a muggle born, and Neville Longbottom," Ginny stated. "All of them were sorted into Gryffindor House and became good friends. During the first week of classes, they had a class in broom flying. Neville was being bullied by a Slytherin who stole a remembrall from him and flew away with it. Harry chased after the bully, and when the bully threw the remembrall away. Harry flew after it and caught it. That was witnessed by Professor McGonagall and she recommended Harry for the position of seeker for the Gryffindor team. So, after a tryout, Harry became the youngest seeker in Hogwarts' history as a first year."

At this point in Harry's and Ginny's history lesson, William interrupted to tell everyone that lunch was being served downstairs in the informal dining room. Harry said his apologies to his grandparents' portrait stating we will continue this later. Then he led Ginny, Ron and Hermione downstairs.

Lunch featured Maria's beef stew and Snoopy's dumplings together in a brown meat sauce. Every one enjoyed it. Molly Weasley even asked Snoopy for his dumpling recipe. As lunch ended Harry asked Ron and Hermione to introduce Andromeda and Augusta along with Neville, and Luna to his grandparents, while he and Ginny met with Bill, Fleur, Arthur and Molly about some banking business.

Charley mentioned that he and Percy was going with George to check out the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes store. They would be back in time for dinner.

Ron and Hermione consented and led Andromeda and Teddy and Augusta and Neville and Luna upstairs to the library reading area. Harry led Ginny, Bill, Fleur, Molly and Arthur to his public study next to the lobby. They all got comfortable around the office area while Harry started composing what he wanted to say.

'I wanted to have this meeting to go over my finances and the establishment of the War Victims Fund." Harry began. "The Goblins have told me I have more money than I know what to do with. Even with the transfers I made the other day, I still have over 400 million galleons just sitting in vaults not doing anything."

"I want to use that money to make people's lives better," Harry continued. "I want to invest this money in our magical world's future. Any ideas?"

Bill Weasley started giving suggestions first. "Harry, the best use of the money is to fund projects that enable people to help themselves. Using your money as seed to allow others to grow their own money and help others. I recommend starting a scholarship fund for students at Hogwarts. Many in the magical world do not go to Hogwarts or any other magical schools because their families can't afford it. A scholarship fund that helps pay tuition to Hogwarts, or pays assistance to students who want to continue their education to Mastery or Muggle College, or apprenticeships, would be a great help."

Arthur was next to speak: "It is important that you keep a certain amount in the bank, for your family's future. I admit that you have quite a bit available, but use some of it in safe investments that give you a guaranteed rate of return to protect your family's future."

Fleur spoke next: "The Gringotts Bank and zee Goblins want you to be able to have a profit with your dealings with zem. They will advise you or recommend projects that guarantee a profit. They do not like taking zee chances of you losing any money and being disappointed in their advice."

Harry turned to Mrs. Weasley and asked her opinion.

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley started, "I have always been frugal with the money that Arthur and I had. We have always searched for the most productive and cost effective ways to support our children and satisfy the family's needs. You tell me what goals you have and what objectives you want to reach, and I will try to find the best way to meet those goals and objectives within the most cost effective manner."

"Thank you everyone," Harry replied. "Your input to me helps quite a bit. I agree with Bill on the need for a scholarship fund for both Hogwarts and after Hogwarts education. This will be separate from the War Victims Fund. I am not going to nitpick moneys spent, as long as it was spent wisely or at least with good intentions. Mrs. Weasleys, both Molly and Fleur will be making decisions with Griphook. Majority rules, so you two women will have final authority on whether and how money from these funds is spent."

"The War Victims Fund," Harry continued, "Will be used for actual war victims and their families. People or other magical beings will need to show how they were victimized and what the aid will be used for. For the scholarship fund, it will be open to all magical creature also, but they must show both the need and how the aid will benefit the magical world."

Ginny picked up Harry's statements. "I feel that Harry is correct in his interpretation of what the goals for each fund are. I think our objective for the future is like my father said, we want to preserve a portion of this wealth for our family through careful management and profitable investments while we use the funds to help our magical neighbors and improve the magical community."

"On that note," Harry stated, "I think this concludes what we needed to talk about. Ginny and I will leave it to your hands to manage these funds and get us the best investment advice to support all of our families' futures."

They all got up from the office furniture and left the public study. Harry gave the other Weasleys the tour of the library and then up the spiral staircase to introduce Molly and Arthur and Bill and Fleur to his grandparents' portrait.

"Hello all," Harry interrupted the discussions currently in progress, "I want to introduce my grandparents to the rest of our group. Charles and Samantha Potter this is Arthur and Molly Weasley, Ginny's parents, and William and Fleur Weasley. Bill is a curse breaker for Gringotts and his lovely wife also works for Gringotts. Fleur's father is the Deputy Minister of Magic of France. We were down in the public study, having a meeting on two funds I am establishing with Gringotts, a War Victims Fund for all magical beings, and a new scholarship fund associated with Hogwarts."

"Harry", Charles Potter replied, "We have been talking about your and Neville's first year at Hogwarts. Augusta Longbottom, whom we had known for quite a few years before we passed, has been bringing us up to speed on what you all had accomplished."

"Molly and Arthur," Samantha Potter called out of the portrait. "It has been ages since you both were here at the manor. Welcome back. I am so happy that our families are getting together with Harry being in love with Ginny. She is a beautiful young lady."

"Thank you Sam," Molly Weasley replied. "We are very happy that Harry allowed us to stay here while the Burrow is being repaired. You should know since we first met Harry, Arthur and I have treated him as one of our own. And we are both very happy that Harry and Ginny are together."

"Harry broke into the conversations. "I was going to continue our discussions of first year at Hogwarts, but I want to wait. Neville's parents are being released from the hospital tomorrow. They have been under a curse from Bellatrix LeStrange since November 1981. They have been in the hospitable since then being wrongly diagnosed as prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus Curse. The Curse they actually were under was a Black family special that puts the victims in a comatose state until the caster dies. Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix at the Battle of Hogwarts last week, now Neville parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, are getting better and have regained their lives. Neville and I will both tell the stories of our Hogwarts' years after Frank and Alice can join listening in."

With that said, Harry and the visiting guests said their good nights to the portrait of Harry's grandparents, and then left the library to freshen up for dinner.


	13. Chpt 13 Potter Manor 10 May 1998 0900 hr

Chapter 13, Potter Manor 10 May 1998, 0900 hours. Day 8

Sunday was a lie-in for most of the occupants of Potter Manor. Last night had been a relaxing quiet evening for everybody. The day was busy with meetings and everyone getting familiar with Potter Manor, but after a fantastic dinner prepared by Maria and Snoopy, everyone adjourned to the smoking lounge where they relaxed with watching television, mixed drinks, and a few games of darts. The Weasleys were all taken in by the muggle television programs. After Hermione tried to explain the science behind the television signals broadcasting video and audio information to the receivers around the United Kingdom, and those signals being converted back to images and sounds, the people sitting around the smoking lounge still thought it was muggle magic.

One occupant of Potter Manor had gotten up early. That was Neville Longbottom. Today was the day he was bringing his parents home. Well, not really home, not to Longbottom Manor because it was being repaired, but out of the hospital where they had been involuntarily committed due to mental disorders. Now they were healed. Actually they were placed under a curse sixteen and a half years ago by Bellatrix LeStrange. A curse that dissolved when the curser died. After Bellatrix LeStrange was killed near the end of the Battle of Hogwarts by Molly Weasley, her curse placed on the Longbottoms died out also. Three days later, Frank and Alice Longbottom awoke from their catatonic state. Now one week later they were well enough to be released from the hospital into their son's and his grandmother's care.

Neville woke early this Sunday morning thinking about his parents coming. He walked out of his guest room of Potter Manor after dressing and went downstairs to the private dining room hoping he could find some coffee to wake him up. When he entered the dining room he was met by Maria the house-elf in charge of cooking. She asked Neville what she could get him, but all he wanted was some coffee and maybe some toast. Maria quickly returned from the kitchen with a cup of coffee, black, and four slices of freshly buttered toast that was still warm. On the tray that held the coffee cup and toast was a sugar container, a cream cup and a jar of strawberry jam.

Neville thanked Maria who told him to ask if he wanted anything more to eat. Neville then sat at the dining room table and slowly sipped the hot coffee as he thought about today's tasks.

A little while after Neville had gotten his coffee, William, the Potter Manor Head Elf, joined him in the dining room.

"Good morning Lord Longbottom," William said as he approached Neville. "I will be taking you to the Hospital this morning, and when you are ready to leave with your parents, I and Martha will be available to bring you and your parents back to Potter Manor."

"Thank you William," Neville replied. "I appreciate your and Martha's assistance in this. I hope it is no trouble for anyone. I am a little nervous on how everything is going. I am glad that my parents have recovered, but I hope their healing process will be without any difficulties for them or anybody else."

"Do not worry, Lord Longbottom," William stated, "We can obtain any potion that they require, plus we have the training room downstairs that can accommodate any physical or exercise training regimen they will require as they heal their bodies after such a long time of inactivity. Martha is upstairs in your parents' future room getting everything ready for them. We will leave first, then I will call Martha when we are ready to transport back. Martha has already gone to Longbottom Manor to retrieve their personal effects and clothing that may not fit them anymore, but we can resize their outfits as needed."

As Neville finished his toast and coffee, he and William got ready to leave. Taking the elf's hand, the two quickly transported themselves to Saint Mungo's Hospital. Their first stop at the hospital was the admissions office, where Neville met Healer Jeff Smith who was the Head Healer for the hospital. He knew this was a momentous day for the Longbottom family and he had all the paperwork prepared for the young lord to sign to enable his parents to be discharged finally after sixteen and a half years.

"Well Lord Longbottom," Healer Smith started, "I have personally examined your parents, and while they are mentally fit, physically they are weak, and their muscles very deteriorated due to years of inactivity. It will take several months of strengthening potions and a progressive regimen of exercises before we can call them healthy again. Magically they will also have to retrain to exercise their magical core, but that will have to wait at least a few weeks before they are able to handle a wand again. The main point is a healthy diet and a slow progression of physical activity until they feel back to normal."

Neville picked up a box of potions they had prepared for strengthening which William then sent back to the manor. Then he and William left the Admissions Office and Healer Smith and walked upstairs to the James Thickey Ward.

Neville smiled at the sight that greeted him. His parents were dressed in their auror robes while sitting in wheel chairs waiting to leave. They both smiled proudly at the sight of their grown son entering the ward. William called for Martha, and she quickly arrived to help transport the Longbottoms to their temporary guest rooms.

William explained to Neville, that he and Martha would initially take the Longbottom Seniors to their guest room in the wheel chairs, and then William would return the chairs to the hospital and pick up Neville for transport. Neville's grandmother would be there at the manor to help get his parents acclimated. Neville agreed, and watched as they vanished. In the meantime, Neville gave a copy of the paperwork to the ward staff making the relocation official.

William was soon back with the two empty wheel chairs, then he grabbed Neville and made the quick trip back to the manor.

Neville entered his parents' assigned guest room and saw that they were getting comfortable.

"Welcome to Potter Manor," Neville announced. "We will be staying here as Harry's guests until the repairs are finished at Longbottom Manor. Harry was nice enough to offer his home so we can relax and enjoy ourselves now that the war is over."

"Healer Smith has given me some potions you two will need to take each day for the next three months, and has written out a regimen of exercises and goals he would like you both to make to physically get you better."

"For example, it will be a month from now before either of you get a wand in your hands. Healer Smith says that you are too weak, and your magical core too depleted for either of you performing magic anytime quicker than that. Then you can start retraining charms and defensive spells to slowly get you back to your auror status. Also we will be starting the old auror training classes for running and fitness."

"What happened to us?" Neville's dad asked.

"Well for sixteen and a half years you two were misdiagnosed as suffering mentally from over-exposure to the cruciatus curse. But we found out that it was not that curse, but a Black family special curse that Bellatrix LeStrange had learned from the Black Family archives that she used on you two that put both of you in a catatonic state. When Bellatrix was killed by Molly Weasley at the Battle of Hogwarts, her curse was broken and you started to recover."

'After sixteen and a half years of lying in bed, and being fed through a tube," Neville continued, "your bodies have physically deteriorated from inactivity so now you have a long way back until you are healthy again."

"So what all happened during the sixteen years we were in the hospital?" Neville's mom asked. "Who took care of you and what happened at school?"

"Harry and I are going to explain everything and take you through our lives growing up starting this afternoon." Neville explained. "We just moved into Potter Manor yesterday and we were waiting until you got here before we went over our history. Harry's grandparents' portrait is here asking the same questions so we decided to talk through our history with all of you together. Why don't you two relax and I will have the elves send up some lunch. After lunch, if you are up to moving a little, we will go to the library here to meet Harry's grandparents' portrait.


	14. Chpt 14 Potter Manor 10 May 1998 1300 hr

Chapter 14, Potter Manor 10 May 1998, 1300 hours. Day 8 Part 2

The Longbottom family all had lunch upstairs in Frank and Alice's guest room. With them was Frank's mother, Augusta Longbottom and their son, soon to be eighteen year old Neville Longbottom. Neville was considered Lord Longbottom because Frank's and Alice's long hospitalization and Frank being declared mentally incompetent due to the curse he was under. Now, with Frank and Alice free from the Black family curse placed on them sixteen and a half years ago by Bellatrix LeStrange, they were ready to be brought up-to-date on what has happened the past sixteen and a half years.

"Mom, dad, Are you feeling up to beginning the stories of what has happened?" Neville Asked. "If so, we will walk down the hall to the Potter Manor Library where we will join Harry and the portrait of Harry's grandparents." All of the Longbottoms agreed and stood up and began to walk from the second floor guest room to the door leading to the mistress' study. Through that door and study they walked until they were on the private family halls leading to the upstairs of the library. Once there, they slowly walked over to the reading lounge area where Harry and Ginny was already sitting. Harry stood as they entered and sat on couches in the reading area.

"Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, I wish to welcome you to Potter Manor and would like to introduce you to my girlfriend Ginny Weasley, and my grandparents Charles and Samantha Potter."

"We were friends of Charles and Sam when we joined the Order of the Phoenix, with James and Lily," Frank stated. "We have been to Potter Manor on several occasions."

"Frank, we heard what happened to you and Alice," the portrait replied. "Welcome back."

"Thank you Charles, and thank you Harry for allowing us to start our recovery from your home, while Longbottom Manor is being repaired." Frank stated.

Neville had already told his parents his story as he grew up while they recovered in the hospital. He explained to the Potters how he was raised by his grandmother and her brother Uncle Algyron, and how Uncle Algyron was convinced Neville was a squib. Augusta admitted that she had made a mistake by giving Neville his dad's wand rather than buying him a new one.

Harry then stated that after his parent's death, Dumbledore had placed him with Lily's sister because he wanted Harry away from the magical world.

"But Harry," Alice said, "Lily always said her sister hated magic and that her husband was even worse."

"That is true, they were not very nice to me growing up. I was living in a cupboard under the stairs and doing all the housework, and they tried to stop me from getting my Hogwarts' letter. I knew nothing about magic until Hagrid finally delivered my letter and took me shopping in Diagon Alley."

Harry then explained how everyone met on the train ride to Hogwarts. Neville and Hermione met first, while Ron and Harry met in another compartment. Then they all went searching for Neville's pet toad, and became fast friends for the remaining years at Hogwarts. They had all been sorted into Gryffindor.

Harry told them about their first flying lesson, when Slytherin Draco Malfoy was bullying Neville and stole his remembrall. Harry then flew up and caught the remembrall when Malfoy threw it away. Professor McGonagall saw him catch it, and he was made Seeker for the Gryffindor team.

Harry then told them about the Philosopher's stone and how Professor Quarrel was possessed by Voldemort trying to steal the stone. Harry stopped them and how Dumbledore awarded house points for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville to win the House Cup.

Second year started with Professor Gilderoy Lockhart as Dark Arts professor. Lucius Malfoy gave Ginny Weasley a diary belonging to Tom Riddle. The diary possessed Ginny into opening the fabled Chamber of Secrets. Several students were petrified by Slytherin's Monster. The monster turned out to be a basilisk that petrified rather than killed the students because they were looking at it indirectly. Harry killed the basilisk stabbing it with Gryffindor's sword. Neville helped Professor Sprout grow and make the mandrake potion to un-petrify the students. The diary of Tom Riddle who later became known as Voldemort was destroyed killing the shade of Tom Riddle again by Harry stabbing it with a basilisk tooth.

"Wait," Frank said. "A diary possesses a person but the possession and shade ends with it being stabbed by a basilisk tooth. The diary must have been a horcrux."

"It was," Harry replied. Professor Dumbledore then realized the same thing. That was why Voldemort didn't die when his killing curse rebounded off of me. We later found out he had made seven horcruxes that all had to be destroyed before we could kill him.

'What did you do with the basilisk?" Frank asked. "If it is still there, you should have the Goblins at Gringotts harvest it. It will still be valuable for its meat, skin, and venom."

Third year Neville started talking about the summer happening, Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban and Dementors being stationed at Hogwarts to try and capture him.

"You mean to say the Minister of Magic stationed dementors where students were?" Alice said. "I can't believe that, plus I can't believe that Sirius Black was the one who betrayed James and Lily."

"Don't worry," Harry replied. "It turns out that Sirius was innocent. He was trying to capture the real traitor. Remus Lupin was our defense professor and he taught me the patronus charm to protect against dementors." I taught a lot of the others how to use the patronus charm later on. My patronus is like my dad's. Expecto Patronum."

At the initiation of the patronus charm, Harry's stag circled around the room. Neville then cast his, and a large bear walked around the room. Frank and Alice were amazed that Neville learned the patronus charm so early in age, and that Harry could learn it as a third year.

"By the end of third year, Sirius was innocent, but the ministry would not believe it. The traitor was identified, it was Peter Pettigrew, who had been hiding all these years as an animagus rat. Peter or as he was called Wormtail lived as a pet rat at the Weasleys."

"Fourth year," Harry said, "began with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and I going to the Quidditch World Cup. The World Cup was marred by Death Eaters harassing people, and making the dark mark appear. Later at school, the year was taken over by the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Students from Durmstrang Academy and Beauxbatons joined in making it a tournament where each school is supposed to have one champion compete in three tasks."

"The Goblet of Fire was to choose the three champions. Instead it chose four, I was the extra champion. They were all supposed to be of age, but I was chosen as a fourth year, and they would not let me out of it. "

Harry went on to discuss the tasks. 1. Dragons, 2. Merpeople, 3, Maze. The first task Harry used his broom to race a dragon, and take the Golden Egg. The second task, Neville had given Harry the clue of using Gillyweed to breathe under water. The third task, Harry and Hogwarts champion Cedric Diggory tied reaching the cup at the center of the maze so they grabbed it together. Somebody had made the cup a portkey not to take them back to the start of the maze, but to a cemetery where Voldemort was waiting.

Diggory was killed on Voldemort's orders, and then they used Harry's blood in a ritual to give Voldemort a new body. Voldemort then tried to kill Harry but was unable to because his wand and Harry's wand had the same core, a phoenix feather from the same phoenix. This created a diversion allowing Harry to take Diggory's body and the cup to port key back to Hogwarts.

Once back at Hogwarts, even with Cedric Diggory's body, the ministry would not believe Harry when he said that Voldemort was back.

As Harry finished the recollections of fourth year at Hogwarts for Frank and Alice Longbottom, and his grandparents' portrait, the group was joined by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Both were introduced to the Longbottoms and Harry mentioned they had just covered fourth year.

Hermione volunteered to tell about the fifth year. First she mentioned the attack of dementors on Harry and his cousin, and how Harry's patronus charm saved them both. She then mentioned how the ministry tried to charge Harry with use of underage magic with a trial by the entire Wizengamot down in courtroom ten. Finally .Harry was cleared of all charges, but the ministry still would not believe him or Professor Dumbledore that Voldemort had returned.

When school started they found that the ministry had placed an Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic as Professor for Defense Against Dark Arts. This Undersecretary, Delores Umbridge, tried to only teach defensive theory, or reading chapters of theory but no actual wand use. Based upon that, Hermione had talked the others into after-hours classes to learn defense without teachers being present. This resulted in the birth of the group, Dumbledore's Army. Harry, with others helping as class monitors, began teaching defensive magic. He taught everyone the Patronus Charm. And as he taught each spell or charm, others in the group, including Neville would go around the Room of Requirement helping the others learn the correct wand movements and incantations.

Umbridge tried to stop all student groups. She banned Harry and Ron's older brothers from playing Quidditch, and used her position in the ministry to make her Hogwarts' High Inquisitor. To make it worse, she used a blood quill on students during detentions.

Throughout the fifth year, Harry was having a strange mental connection to Voldemort. Harry dreamed of Voldemort when he was happy and could tell when something was happening. He even saw Mr. Weasley get attacked by Voldemort's snake while Mr. Weasley was on Order of the Phoenix business. Harry's vision saved Mr. Weasley's life as he alerted other Order members who got to Arthur in time.

Neville picked up the story at this point. He told how Harry's visions of the Department of Mysteries started everyone thinking about the Hall of Prophesies and Harry's vision that Voldemort had Sirius Black trapped there. After the group got Umbridge out of the castle and she tried to insult the centaurs in the Forbidden Forrest, Harry led the group on the back of thestrals to fly down to London and save Sirius Black in the Department of Mysteries. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville went to London. There they were attacked by Death Eaters trying to get a specific prophecy about Harry and Voldemort.

The prophecy was made to Dumbledore the year before Harry and Neville were born, and talked about a child born as the seventh month dies by parents that had thrice defied him, being able to defeat the dark lord. That part of the prophecy was overheard by a Death Eater and told to Voldemort. Two babies could be the chosen one; Harry and Neville.

Voldemort wanted the rest of the prophecy, but only those who the prophecy is about can get it from the Department of Mysteries. So the Death Eaters lured Harry there to get the prophecy. A battle ensued, 12 Death Eaters against the six of us students. We were holding our own when the members of the Order showed up. They helped turn the tide, but Sirius Black got stunned by Bellatrix LeStrange and fell into the veil.

Frank and Alice cried at that. Sirius was Harry's Godfather, so Harry was alone again. He took off after Bellatrix but when he caught her, Voldemort showed up. At the same time Dumbledore arrived, so another battle took place. The fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort lasted a long time, and ended in a draw, but the Minister of Magic and others in the ministry saw part of the battle convincing them that Voldemort was truly back as Dumbledore and Harry said.

We lost Sirius Black, and Hermione was touch and go for a while, and Neville broke his wand and his nose, but eleven Death Eaters were captured. Bellatrix escaped, and Voldemort was injured, and Harry and Dumbledore were vindicated. The Minister of Magic lost his job.

After the battle, Dumbledore told Harry the complete prophecy. The one with the power to vanquish the- Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.

That was fifth year. Sixth year brought Harry private lessons with Professor Dumbledore. These lessons centered around the history of Voldemort from birth as Tom Riddle Junior through his years at Hogwarts, after he graduated, and then became Lord Voldemort. The half-blood born from a squib that used a love portion to marry her crush for a muggle nobleman. She ended alone, pregnant, penniless and giving birth then dying at an orphanage.

In sixth year, Dumbledore finally admitted to Harry about the Horcruxes. He brought Professor Slughorn back to teach potions and moved Professor Snape over to Defense. Professor Slughorn had been teaching back when Tom Riddle was in school, and he was also the head of Slytherin House. Dumbledore had memories of Tom Riddle that he showed to Harry, and Harry got a memory from Professor Slughorn. Tom Riddle had asked Slughorn about horcruxes and whether seven being the most magical number was the best number of horcruxes.

Now that Dumbledore and Harry had a good idea of the number of horcruxes, and knowing Riddle's penchant of trophies, Harry and Professor Dumbledore tried to identify the objects that Riddle or Voldemort used to make his horcruxes, and where they could be located. While this research was going on, Voldemort had ordered Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius, to kill Professor Dumbledore. His attempts, a cursed necklace, and poisoned mead, resulted in injuring two students but not permanently.

Toward the end of the school year, Draco was able to repair a vanishing cabinet that was in the room of requirement. It connected with a cabinet that was in Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. He was able to get Death Eaters from Borgin and Burkes' shop to Hogwarts. Once there they attacked several students and Draco disarmed Professor Dumbledore. Draco lost his nerve at killing the Professor, but Severus Snape then took over and "AK"ed Dumbledore who fell from the Astronomy Tower to his death.

"At Dumbledore's funeral, I realized what had to be done, so I broke off my relationship with Ginny, to protect her from Voldemort using her to get to me, and then Ron, Hermione and I took off from school so we could hunt down and destroy the remaining horcruxes." "Neville stayed at the school for seventh year, when the Death Eaters ran the school and controlled the Ministry. Neville was named head of Dumbledore's Army.

All of a sudden, William appeared with tea and sandwiches. Everyone was ready for a break, and William's timing could not have been better. Most of the group decided on tea, except for Harry and Neville who took pumpkin juice. William also had brought ham and cheese sandwiches. They were passed around and all took a sandwich

While everyone continued having tea and sandwiches, Neville began talking about his seventh year at Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione paid complete attention as they were not there and no one had told them the stories yet.

Neville described what it was like having the Carrows as teachers, and Severus Snape as Headmaster. Everything about school being run like a military academy, marching between classes, marching into and out of the Great Hall for meals Ginny backed Neville up as he described the detentions ending up as torture training with Death Eater's children being taught the Cruciatus Curse, and using that curse on other students during detentions.

Neville then told his parents and Harry's grandparents' portrait about leading Dumbledore's Army last year. How they rescued students from torture detentions, how they learned magical healing from Madam Pomphrey on the sly, and how they created pranks and troubles for the Death Eaters and corrupt school administration.

Neville and Luna both told stories about the Room of Requirement supporting the students both as a place to hide from the Carrows and Slytherins and how the room created a tunnel into Hogsmeade at the Hogshead so the students could get fed.

After Neville, Ginny and Luna finished talking about what went on at Hogwarts, Hermione, Harry and Ron repeated the story about their last year on the run and searching for and destroying horcruxes. They basically retold the briefing they gave at Hogwarts for the Interim Minister of Magic, and the Professors and the members of Dumbledore's Army.

The reactions to the long afternoon of stories were to be expected. Frank and Alice Longbottom were almost in tears after hearing what their son and his friends had to endure. The same could be said for Harry's grandparents' portrait. Augusta Longbottom was present for the earlier briefing Harry had given, so a lot of the stories were not new to her, still she was solemn, thinking what the teens had to experience.

Frank and Alice Longbottom were getting tired after all that they had gone through between the move from the hospital, seeing friends, meeting new people, and being brought up on what had happened. Neville helped both of them back to their guest room while everyone else said their good byes to the Potters' portrait and walked back downstairs. Dinner that night would be a casual event with the Longbottoms being served in their room while the rest of the group ate in the family dining room.


	15. Chpt 15 Potter Manor 11 May 1998 0900 hr

Chapter 15, Potter Manor 11 May 1998, 0900 hours. Day9

Breakfast was held this Monday morning in the family dining room. Everybody was in attendance, including Frank and Alice Longbottom. They had carefully walked down the stairs from their guestroom and for the first time since coming out of the hospital, were seeing every other guest that Harry had staying at Potter Manor.

Arthur Weasley, Percy Weasley, Bill Weasley and Fleur Weasley all had to eat and run as they had jobs to do: Arthur and Percy at the ministry, while Bill and Fleur were going to Gringotts Bank. The remainder of the guests; Molly Weasley, George Weasley, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Andromeda Tonks. Teddy Lupin, Luna Lovegood, Augusta Longbottom, Neville Longbottom, and Frank and Alice Longbottom stayed back and relaxed while enjoying the breakfast/

George and Ron Weasley announced they were going to Diagon Alley to see to their store and see about cleaning it up. Frank asked what store. and George replied telling Frank and Alice all about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. How Harry had given George and Fred his Tri-Wizard Tournament winnings for them to start the store. George handed Frank a card with the store's logo on it, and told him to come in and shop whenever they felt like it.

Augusta asked what Molly and Andromeda were doing today? Andromeda said she was going to take Teddy outside and look at the back gardens since it was looking like a nice day. Molly agreed and asked to join Andromeda and Teddy to the gardens.

Frank asked his mom, Augusta, if she would sit down with Him and Alice to discuss Longbottom Family issues and concerns.

Harry asked Ginny to help him look over the Master's and Mistress' studies. And sort through the documents he was given at Gringotts about House Potter and its holdings. Hermione stated she wanted to look through the library to see what it contained.

With everyone's plans decided, everybody left the family dining room, and went off into different directions.

When Harry and Ginny reached the second floor landing, they turned right to begin their efforts in the Mistress' study. Harry led Ginny over to the desk that was the center of the room. He held out the chair and asked her to sit down.

"Please have a sit, this will be your room and your desk fairly soon."

Ginny sat at the desk chair and opened each desk drawer looking into each one. She found a folder full of blank menus where the Mistress of the manor would write what she wanted to serve for any special dinner party or event. A separate folder contained previously used menus with notes from Maria or Samantha, Harry's Grandmother, about what was served at past occasions or past special events.

Another drawer contained folders on each of the house-elves at the manor, with their resumes and notes on specialties or training sessions that they had attended. The notes also included reminders on each elf's birthdays and other special achievements that each elf had accomplished.

Another drawer contained past events guest lists. Along with each event was that event's guest list of who did or did not attend. Another folder in that drawer listed each previous guest by name, with notes explaining that person's birthday, anniversary, or notes about that person's family or Hogwarts' house.

Ginny was flabbergasted by how everything was organized. Everything her mom did in her kitchen, or planned for a party was right at her fingertips just waiting for her and Maria to sit down and decide what they wanted to do. Ginny even found a card file full of recipes that Maria could cook. But the recipes were so detailed and complete that Ginny could easily follow and cook the dish herself. On a shelf behind the desk was a bookcase with housekeeping spell books and more cookbooks. Ginny smiled at Harry and told him how fascinated she was at the study and its contents. She asked his permission to show all of this to her mom and Fleur. Harry just smiled back at her telling her it was up to her, it was her study now.

Next Harry led Ginny over to the Master's study. Ginny let him sit in the chair behind the desk as he started opening drawers to see what was there. The first drawer contained Potter Family items, including a register of Potter births, marriages, and deaths. Next to the register was a copy of Ministry procedures and regulations concerning the keeping of Family documents and registers. The second drawer contained all of the backup documents for the Potter Investments. There were separate folders for each Potter Investment both magical and muggle.

A third drawer had folders for all the important legislation being considered by the Wizengamot. Harry started to look through the folders but realized they were all outdated from his Grandfathers' time.

"Excuse me for interrupting Harry," a portrait of his Grandfather started speaking. "That drawer is magical and will automatically fill with current documents once you have taken over the Potter seat on the Wizengamot."

"I didn't realize you had a separate portrait in this room also Grandfather", Harry replied.

"Both Samantha and I have individual portraits in the Master's and Mistress' studies respectively", Harry's Grandfather stated. "Samantha thought about joining you when you were in the Mistress' study, but you didn't need her there this time. But Ginny, any time you are there and need help you can call her and she will appear in her portrait."

"Thank you for that information Mr. Potter," Ginny replied.

"Oh Ginny, please call us Charles and Sam or Samantha, we don't need any formal Mister or Missus."

Harry opened another drawer, this one contained folders of wards and security spells on Potter Manor itself. Also present in the drawer was a ward stone making this drawer the key to all of the security enhancements for the Manor and surrounding grounds. Beneath the ward stone was a booklet that listed all the wards currently available for the Manor and how to set each one.

A fifth drawer in the desk would not open by pulling, it felt stuck, Harry tried the drawer again but it still did not open.

"Harry, that drawer is also magical. It will only open to a Potter, but especially to the head of house." Harry's grandfathers portrait said. "You have to press your head of family ring against the drawer and state your name."

Harry pressed his Head of Potter House ring against the drawer, and said "I am Harry James Potter."

This time the drawer opened and allowed Harry to look inside.

"Harry, this drawer contains the Potter Grimoire," the portrait said. "It is the history of the Potters and the Potter Family Magic. Only Potters can read it. Even Ginny cannot read that book, until she becomes a Potter. Even then you have to be present and press your house ring against the drawer for it to open."

"Thank you Grandfather" Harry replied as he searched through the Grimoire drawer.

Harry was satisfied with what he saw inside the Grimoire drawer, and thought about reading the book later when he had the time. He closed the drawer feeling it lock in place once it was closed.

Harry again thanked his Grandfather's portrait, and then stood up and looked around the study. Besides the desk and chair and a small couch and side chair that Ginny was sitting in, there were two bookcases against the wall behind the desk. One bookcase was filled with old school books representing all seven years at Hogwarts. The other bookcase was filled with scrapbooks containing pictures of his Grandfather's and Grandmother's lives, including some pictures of his mom and dad and their friends.

With the search of the Master's study complete, Harry and Ginny left the room to go find lunch.

Harry and Ginny walked back downstairs to the family dining room. There they met with Hermione, Neville, and Luna. Hermione was ecstatic with what she had found in the library. The library had a magical ledger where the user wrote the subject that they were researching, and the ledger listed all the pertinent books and where they were located in the library. It was like a magical card catalog that showed what the book, bookcase, shelf and book's number was that matched what the user wrote as subject for the search.

As Hermione was explaining the library search feature, Molly Weasley and Andromeda Tonks entered the dining room carrying Teddy. Ginny told her mom and the other women present about the Mistress' Study and what she learned about how organized it was. Ginny promised to show them all the study later. She wanted to wait until Fleur was available to see it also.

Harry explained that they had also looked into the Master's study and what they had found there.

Neville and Luna talked about their walk around the grounds and their walk through the gardens of the Manor. Neville said that Lionel was doing a wonderful job as the groundskeeper but he had talked to the house-elf and found out there were some plants he had at Longbottom Manor that Lionel didn't have. So I promised him some cuttings.

"Harry, if you have time, after lunch," Neville said, "Why don't you and I take a walk through the gardens, and I can give you some ideas that Lionel and I had for updating the grounds."

Harry agreed to join Neville on the grounds after lunch and invited Ginny to come along as he wanted her opinion.

"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, "What is going on between you and Ginny? You want her opinion on the grounds, you showed her the Mistress' Study, and you have her sleeping in the Mistress' bedroom. Are you saying she in Mistress to this Manor?"

"Mrs. Weasley, Molly," Harry replied. "As far as I am concerned Ginny will be the Mistress of Potter Manor. I have not proposed to her yet, but next year when she is older, I plan to. I am not saying we will get married right away, but I see Ginny's future and mine linked together with a marriage down the road. I love her and plan to marry her in the future, so I want her to plan on becoming the Mistress of Potter Manor, and get involved in the updating of the Manor."

"Thank you Harry," Ginny said, "I will be glad to go with you and Neville to discuss the grounds."

When the trio was through with their sandwiches and Butter Beers they had for lunch, Neville led Harry and Ginny out the Manor to the grounds. Neville stated that the grounds in front of the Manor really did not need changing. It provided a formal front yard for Potter Manor. The sides of the manor house and the back yard could be improved and made more modern. The left side of the manor grounds was bare of flowering plants, because that side got very little sunlight. But there were some newer varieties of magical plants that could grow well in the shade.

When the trio got to the back of the house Harry noted the patio and outdoor picnic area looked very old fashioned.

"What Lionel and I talked about out here was adding some tree roses around the patio area to bring a little color to this area. I have the cuttings at Longbottom Manor," said Neville, "and I told Lionel I would give him some varieties that he could plant around this area in wooden half-barrels. They would not make his workload any harder."

"Maria," Ginny called and the house-elf cook appeared. "Is there any vegetable or fruit you wish you had in a garden back here?"

"I wish we had bushes of raspberries that we could make into tarts and dessert toppings," Maria replied. "And some Apple trees for making preserves and cider".

"Harry, based on these requests," Neville stated, "I would recommend adding the bushes around the property line inside of the walls. The sun hitting the walls will give a warmer climate for the berries. Miniature apple trees could also be planted around the grounds rather than full size trees that would take up too much space. There are varieties that have almost the same yield as a full tree. But with all of these plants will be extra work. I would recommend at least a part-time extra elf to help Lionel with the grounds."

"Thank you Neville, I appreciate your comments," said Harry. "And thank you Ginny for getting the advice from Maria. As head chef, you were right to involve her and get her suggestions. William, please hire two additional house-elves preferably interns that would help Lionel and Martha. With this many guests, I think she also could use the help.

William popped in to hear Harry's requests and then bowed and returned to his current duties.

Harry and Neville continued to walk around the grounds making sure that everything else was good. Neville showed Harry where he could plant the berry bushes and the Apple trees around the grounds.

Harry and Neville finished their walk around the grounds just as everybody else was returning from work.

"Harry, can I talk to everyone for a few minutes," Arthur Weasley asked. "I have met with the Interim Minister of Magic, and he asked me to pass some instructions along for tomorrow. I will need a few minutes at dinner while everyone is present to pass those instructions on."

Later on, at the dinner table with everyone present, Arthur passed on that everyone was supposed to be there tomorrow to meet the muggle Prime Minister. They were going to be some awards handed out so everyone was to dress formal, with muggle suits for the men and formal gowns for the women. Kingsley Shacklebolt will be meeting us in the Ministry garage and we will have ministry cars driving us to Number 10 Downing Street, which is the Prime Minister's office. We are to be in the garage at 0930.


	16. Chpt 16 Potter Manor 12 May1998 0900 hr

Chapter 16, Potter Manor 12 May 1998, 0900 hours. Day10

Everybody was in the family dining room, finishing up on breakfast. They had to finish soon because they had to take a 0930 portkey to the Ministry of Magic auto garage. They were to meet the Interim Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt and join him in visiting the muggle Prime Minister of England. Kingsley had requested everybody to attend, and to dress up in muggle suits and gowns. Breakfast had been light because even though people were hungry, they didn't want to get any food on their clean clothes.

At twenty minutes after nine, everyone went outside of the Manor and grabbed a hold of a piece of rope that was the portkey. William, the head elf of Potter Manor and Martha, the upstairs house-elf maid were helping Frank and Alice Longbottom and Andromeda Tonks and Teddy Lupin follow the others by apparating them to the garage. It was too dangerous for them to be using the portkey. Soon everyone was in the garage underneath the Ministry waiting for Kingsley Shacklebolt to appear. When the Interim Minister of Magic arrived, everyone loaded into the ministry cars for the trip.

Twenty minutes later the four cars turned into the car park next to Number 10 Downing Street, and everyone got out of the cars for their visit. Five minutes later, a little ahead of schedule, everyone was in the Prime Ministers' outer office. Kingsley Shacklebolt announced that while the Prime Minister wanted to meet everyone, the awards he was giving today was limited to the six teens. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville, Luna and Ginny. The others would be given their awards at a ceremony at the Ministry of Magic.

Precisely at 1000 hours, the doors to the Prime Minister's office opened and everyone was shuffled into the office. Kingsley had known the Prime Minister for almost a year as he was acting as his guard under cover as a staff secretary in his office. Now as the group entered, he introduced each of them to the Prime Minister. The only member of the group that the Prime Minister had heard of before was Harry Potter so when Harry was introduced the Prime Minister hurriedly shook Harry's hand.

Once everyone was introduced, and in position around the office, the Prime Minister began his speech.

"We are gathered here today to honor a group of individuals that fought against terrorists that threatened our country and our way of life. The heroes that fought these terrorists and won deserve the thanks of a grateful nation even though the majority of this nation is unaware of the battles due to the laws of secrecy. Therefore these heroes will be recognized in this office rather than a public ceremony. Will the following individuals please step forward: Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. By the order of Parliament, the Government of the United Kingdom awards The Order of the British Empire to Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Mr. Neville Longbottom, Ms. Hermione Granger, Ms. Ginny Weasley, and Ms. Luna Lovegood for their valiant and courageous actions against the enemies of the State in the protection of the peoples of the United Kingdom saving countless lives. Three other individuals are not present to receive their award due to their falling in battle. Will George Weasley and Andromeda Tonks please step forward. I present to George Weasley an award of the Order of the British Empire posthumously for Mr. Fred Weasley; I present awards of the Order of the British Empire posthumously to Mrs. Andromeda Tonks for Mrs. Dora Lupin and Mr. Remus Lupin."

The Prime Minister continued his speaking to the assembled group.

"I wish to add my personal thanks to each of you for your courage, bravery, and a job well done in winning this Battle of Hogwarts, and this war against the Death Eaters. My congratulations on receiving this award and my condolences for the losses you have sustained. Minister Shacklebolt may I talk to you a minute."

As the two ministers met to whisper together, the doors to the office opened as a signal that their ceremony was over. The group went back out to the Prime Minister's outer office to gather their things. Interim Minister of Magic Shacklebolt joined them, and they all walked out of the building and back to the car park. As they reached the cars, Kingsley Shacklebolt announced that he was just told of another appointment for the group to attend. Our four cars and you all will be escorted to Windsor Castle. It seems that the Queen would like to greet you and thank you for your service.

The group got back into the cars that had brought them to Number 10 Downing Street. The cars then were lined up into a convoy formation with two muggle policemen on motorcycles leading the way. The formation left the Prime Minister's car park and made the quick trip to Windsor Castle entering the castle grounds at a guarded gate. The guard directed the cars to a small official car park near a side entrance to the Castle.

Once parked, the group exited the cars and followed a royal guard through the side door to the Castle. The guard led the group through the hallways and corridors of Windsor Castle until asking the group to please wait in an anteroom.

Five or so minutes later the doors of the anteroom opened into a large reception room. Inside the reception room was the beginning of a reception line. Kingsley Shacklebolt talked to a secretary to the queen, and then lined up the group, The Weasley Family was the first in the lineup and Kingsley Shacklebolt introduced each member in line to the Queen's Royal Secretary. The Secretary then introduced each individual in turn to the next person in line.

As Molly Weasley was introduced to the Queen, Molly curtsied saying "Your Majesty."

"Madam Weasley," the Queen replied. "I am sorry for your loss, but extremely grateful for your and your family's service".

Next in line came the Longbottom family starting with Augusta. As Frank bowed before the Queen, the Queen remarked that she was glad to hear that they had returned and were out of the hospital. She continued as Alice curtsied by remarking that she should be very proud of Neville.

Andromeda carrying Teddy Lupin was next in line. The queen remarked that she was sorry for her losses then she smiled as Teddy changed his hair color to match the Queen's.

Next in line was Luna Lovegood. Luna had not practiced her curtsy but gave it a valiant effort as she met the Queen. The Queen thanked her for her service.

Hermione Granger was next greeting the Queen. She curtsied beautifully and was complemented on her bravery and support that she and Ron Weasley had given to Harry to help defeat Tom Riddle.

The next in line was Harry Potter. He bowed lowly to the Queen and was surprised that the Queen remarked that she had been following his life for years after being briefed by Albus Dumbledore about the Boy-Who-Lived, and the Tri-Wizard champion. The Queen asked Harry if he had taken up his inheritance already. She reminded him at his questioning look that he had titles that would be passed down as he was a recognized Lord of the Realm as the head of House Potter and the Earl of Finchley.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was the last in line to greet the Queen. He bowed and then told the Queen that He had yet to tell Harry about his Lordship as he had been busy, but would brief Harry of his role and responsibilities as soon as he could. The Queen thanked the Interim Minister of Magic and said to let the ceremony start.

"I would like to welcome you all to Windsor Castle," the Queen stated. "And I would like very much to thank all of you for the courage and bravery you all have shown towards ridding the nation and our Realm of the terrorist faction we were facing. I am sorry for the hardships and losses you all have suffered and I hope that the future world you have helped give us will be a better place for all. I asked the Prime Minister and your Interim Minister of Magic to bring you all here so I could properly thank you for your efforts and reward you for your service to the Realm."

"Would Miss Hermione Granger, Miss Luna Lovegood, and Miss Genevra Weasley please kneel before me," the Queen commanded.

All three ladies then lined up in front of the Queen, and knelt down on one knee.

"Sword", the Queen commanded, and it was presented to her. "By the Grace of God your Queen, and your Country, I hereby dub thee Dame Hermione Jane Granger, Dame Luna Marie Lovegood, and Dame Ginevra Molly Weasley. Please rise, newly created Knights of the Round Table"

As all three of the newly knighted dames rose and stepped back, courtiers of the Queen placed Burgundy Sashes over each Dame's right shoulder that hung across their bodies.

"Would Lord Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and Ronald Weasley please kneel before me," the Queen commanded.

All three men took their place and knelt.

"By the Grace of God, your Queen, and your Country, I hereby dub thee Lord Sir Harry James Potter, Lord Sir Neville Algicyrus Longbottom, and Lord Sir Ronald Bilius Weasley. Please rise. You will note that as I dubbed you knights with the titles of Sir, I also included the title or Lord. Harry already is a Lord by being the Earl of Finchley. Neville is also a Lord by being the Earl of Pendle. Ronald will become a Lord as I hereby name him the Baron of Chudley. I realize that none of you have taken your inheritance yet officially, but the titles are now yours through perpetuity. Please rise, newly created Knights of the Round Table."

The Three men rose, and bowed again to the Queen and then stepped backward joining the girls in line. The courtiers then hung additional sashes over each man's right shoulder and across their bodies. The interim Minister of Magic then thanked the Queen for her audience and support. He also bowed again and backed up to leave the room.

Once the entire group was out of the reception room and back in a side corridor the group could relax as they made their way back to the parked ministry cars. The Weasleys were shocked that Ron now was a part of the nobility. Ron would now be the head of a noble house, not the head of House Weasley, that would be Arthur and then Bill. But Ron now was head of his own Noble House of Weasley.

The entire trip back to the ministry all of the groups talked about the knighthoods and the new noble house created for Ron Weasley. Those in the same ministry car as Ron kidded him without mercy. George called him Sir Ronniekins. Even Percy and Bill called him Sir Ronald.

Upon reaching the ministry garage, Kingsley Shacklebolt said goodbye to the group, bowing to the newly created knights and dames. They all laughed, thanking him for his support and reminding him that their work was not done. There were Death Eaters yet to be arrested and put in jail, and victims of the war yet to be rescued and made well.

Harry called for William to transport Frank and Alice back to Potter Manor, and he called Martha to help Andromeda and Teddy. Arthur made a portkey for everyone else to get them to the Manor where they then entered at walked to the smoking lounge where they all enjoyed a cold beverage in honor of the awards given out today. Frank, Alice and Augusta Longbottom were so very proud of Lord Sir Neville Longbottom, OBE; they all had tears in their eyes.

Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry and kissed his lips and said "My Knight in Shining Armor".

William served each man in the group a Highball glass full of fire whiskey saying "Congratulations Lord Sir Harry, congratulations to all of you."

Maria served each of the new dames and the older women a glass of wine so they could join the Gentlemen. Molly, Andromeda, Augusta and Alice went around the room giving strong motherly hugs to each of the newly awarded teens. The celebrations would continue into the evening with a festive dinner in the family dining room along with extra bottles of fire whiskey and wine enjoyed by all.

Finis


End file.
